


Memories in the Void

by Kuma_In_Pink



Series: Bondtale [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Asgore is bitter about Soriel but eventually gets better, Baby Bones Sans and Papyrus, Big Brother Sans (Undertale), Cinnamon Roll Papyrus (Undertale), Especially Genocide, F/F, F/M, Frisk is a girl, Gen, Judge Sans, Lots of Neutral and Genocide Runs too, M/M, Monster Adoption, Neglectful Parents, Poor Everyone, Poor Papyrus, Poor Sans, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, SAVED Asriel Dreemurr, SAVED Chara, Sans (Undertale) Needs a Hug, Sans (Undertale) Remembers Resets, Sans' life story is told, Undertale Saves and Resets, Weird skeleton magic, Younger Brother Papyrus (Undertale), chara is non-binary, dunkle sans - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 29,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29286990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuma_In_Pink/pseuds/Kuma_In_Pink
Summary: It's been a year since the Barrier was broken for good, and all the Resets come to an end. Life has been far better than Frisk could've hoped for. The monsters are free and integrating into society nicely, Asriel and Chara are alive and whole... and Toriel and Sans are the best parents Frisk could've ever asked for!  Everyone finally has their happy ending... right?...One cannot simply erase their past crimes, even if it's in the confines of their own minds. Then there's the bond between herself, her adoptive siblings and Sans.Oh, and speaking of Sans?He's not doing so well.Fortunately for everyone, a certain skeleton outside of space and time knows what to do."If you want to SAVE Sans, you must be willing to pay the mental and emotional toll."Last updated 3/04/21!
Relationships: Alphys/Undyne, Mostly focused on family, Possibly others but I'm not sure yet., Sans/Toriel
Series: Bondtale [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2150811
Comments: 56
Kudos: 49





	1. Happy Birthday, Me.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! This is my very first Undertale work, and I'm excited to give it a go. What started out as inspiration from WildCard4505's Memory Machine has quickly turned into my own AU, Bondtale! Their story is a work of art, and you should definitely give it a read sometime! 
> 
> One quick thing to note is that Chara does not identify as male or female. They use ve/vis/ver pronouns. I hope you don't mind. I just always got it in my head that they were this way. 
> 
> Hopefully, you have as much fun reading this as I did writing. :)

It was a beautiful day outside. Flowers were blooming, birds were chirping. The sky, a cloudless and vivid blue. On spring days like this, kids like them played a game of tag. Frisk chortled and ran as Asriel chased after her. She could hear his panting as he started to get closer. Chara, to the right of her, had a scheming smirk across vis face. They shared a glance and communicated through their shared bond. One that had been obtained while in the Underground. A single word resonated between their souls, accompanied by the brief vision of a thick, purple chord.

_Separate._

Frisk sent back an affirmative response and felt her soul vibrate in happiness. She darted to the left and Chara to the right. This meant that Asriel had to pick whom he'd go after, not that it was a mystery to either of them. As expected, he chose Chara. Frisk stopped running. For her, their tactic meant she could take a break. The two were going to focus on each other for a while, not that she begrudged them. With as close as the original Dreemurr children had been and still are, it made sense for them to go off on their own sometimes. Being left out hurt a little, but that pain was a pinprick compared to everything that had come before. More than a year had passed since _Flowey_ and _The Demon_ had been vanquished, but it seemed as if they could still come back any day. After all she'd done and all the trouble the first Reset had started, her adoptive siblings deserved their happiness. 

With nothing else to do, the young ambassador made her way back over to a nearby park bench and took a seat. Sans had said he'd needed to 'take care of something' and promised he'd be back soon. Once he returned, she figured she could have some quality lazy time her Dunkle while Asriel and Chara had their fun. He'd instructed her to call him along their bond if something came up, and sworn up and down that everything was fine when she asked if he was okay.

And yet...

And yet, Frisk had an odd feeling that something wasn't right. It was a weird, subtle thought that lingered in her mind every so often. Every time it came, her soul felt as if were being weighed down and twisted around. It usually hit when she least expected it. Like during their outings, or when they went to visit Uncle Papyrus. Or other times with Sans, really. She'd learned to brush off that weird, soul-grabbing, skin-crawling sensation out of necessity, because that's when the rationalizations came in.

Like they were now.

Once again, Frisk had to argue with what she assumed was herself.

_**Sans has so many secrets, wouldn't you like to know more about him?** _

_No, because he'd tell me if it was something I needed to know_.

_**What if you could use his secrets to SAVE him?** _

_Sans is fine, he's happy now._

_**He looks happy, but he isn't. You know he isn't. Don't you owe it to him? What's one truly final RESET between friends?** _

_He'd never forgive me, not after I promised him._

_**The way he promised Toriel that he'd watch after you?** _

_He completed his promise so many times... I was the one who threw that all away – he had to Fight us! We didn't leave him with a choice._

_..._

_I don't want to hurt him anymore._

_**He'd forgive you if you helped him. Look how close you guys are! How's good old Dunkle Sans going to hold a grudge?** _

_No, he won't. But... I can't. Not after last time. Besides, Sans is happy. We're all happy. I can't ruin all our progress._

_I refuse._

That power of her's was like a close, yet toxic friend. It called out to her with a voice as smooth and warm as a velvet blanket fresh from the dryer. The only thing that kept her refusing was the promise she'd made. With every temptation to go back in time, Frisk forced herself to remember how she'd looked Sans directly in the eye and told him _no more Resets_. No more time loops. No more killing everyone they both cared about over and over again. She was determined to keep her word, just as he'd been determined to put an end to it.

How many times had they fought in the Judgement Hall, anyway? How long had Flowey and The Demon played their horrible games? Far too many, as far as she was concerned. And even though some stuff happened _before_ her fateful fall, Frisk could not – no, _would not –_ forget the part she played in it all. She could feel her old sins scurrying across her back like thousands of putrid little cockroaches. This feeling, this guilt, was the price to pay for a true happy ending.

_At least Asriel doesn't remember._ Frisk thought to herself with a small smile. She watched Asriel lunge at Chara once more. Predictably, he missed. Chara laughed as ve effortlessly dodged and blew the prince a raspberry. Asriel got off the ground and stood up, panting from the effort. Then, with a war cry that sounded suspiciously like a bleating goat, he started chasing ver again.

"I'll get you! Just you wait!"

"Ha! Just try it, _Fluffybuns Junior_!"

"Ew, don't call me that!"

"You're _bleating_ mad if you think I've _goat_ to stop – _Fluffybuns Junior_!"

"Chara, no!"

"Chara, yes!"

"Ugh, why are you like this?"

"Aw, but Azzie, you know you love it~!"

"Nnnngh! I'll stop you if it's the last thing I do!"

"Hehehe. Good luck with that, _kid_!"

"K-kid? But I'm just as old as y-" Asriel paused in his tracks. "Wait! That was another pun, wasn't it?" Chara merely laughed, before running toward the jungle gym.Asriel lunged toward ver once more, only to fall on his stomach as Chara climbed to the top. His head tilted up, and even though Frisk couldn't see his expression, she could picture his lips curling in a pout. "Hey, no fair! You can't just climb up there!"

Chara grinned. "What's wrong, Azzie? Scared?"

"N-no!"

"Then come up and get me~! I'll even let you get to the top before I run again!" Ve smirked. "Unless you think you can't."

Asriel let out a huff of annoyance from his spot on the ground. A couple kids – one human and one monster – wandered over to see what all the commotion was about.

"Riel, are you okay?" The human, a cinnamon-skinned girl with pigtails all but shouted.

"Hey, hey, I've got ya!" The monster boy, a young Madjick added excitedly, as he used his magic to help Asriel get up. They were both bathed in a deeply vivid golden hue as the prince was lifted to his feet. Frisk instantly knew them as Maria and Jack, two of Asriel's close friends from school. They, like him, were in fifth grade. One grade lower than Chara and Frisk. Given how flustered Asriel looked, she wondered if there was something more than friendship going on between her adoptive brother and Jack.

"Oh, um, thanks." Asriel said with a slight tremor in his voice. The glow around them lingered a bit longer before fading away.

Jack flashed him a wide grin. "You're welcome~! Now, go get that fiend!"

"Yeah!" Maria chimed in, pointing up at Chara. "If anyone can do it, you can!"

Chara shook vis head and chuckled. "Hey, what gives? You're acting like I'm the bad guy here!"

"That's because you are~!" Jack said in a teasing voice. "The menace of the Playground, Chara Dreemurr! A threat to the happiness of children everywhere~!"

"Hm... you know, I kind of like that..."

Maria bowed to Asriel. "It's up to you, my prince! Save us from Chara's reign of terror!"

"Hey, hey, yeah~! You're our only hope!"

Asriel shifted in his spot slightly, before pulling a Papyrus-inspired pose. "Fear not, everyone! I, the _Brave and Charming Prince Asriel,_ will save you from the evil that threatens us!" He took a deep breath and puffed out his chest. "I'm coming for you, oh demon!"

Frisk's stomach plummeted at the choice of words, but Chara didn't seem phased at all. Ve sneered and stood tall, an aura of arrogance about ver. "You think you can stop me? I'm the demon who comes when you call their name! Chara Dreemurr, Menace of the Playground!" With an obviously fake evil laugh, Chara activated vis power. A deep, purple glow outlined vis body as well. "Come get me, Fluffybuns Junior!"

"Heh-heh-heh!" Asriel laughed before striking another dramatic pose. "Very well! Prepare yourself, Chara! Here I come!"

And so, their game started. Frisk watched in awe and amusement what was once a game of tag turned into an epic make-believe battle. Jack's magic surrounded Asriel for dramatic effect, while Maria climbed inside the dome-shaped jungle gym to play the part of a captured damsel. The four of them seemed to be caught up in their own world as Asriel climbed higher and higher. Their new game looked like a lot of fun, but there didn't seem to be an opening for Frisk to join. All the major roles were taken. And even if she could find a reason to join, would it even be safe?

The last time she'd decided to Fight, people died.

And died.

And died.

No, staying on the sidelines was better by far. She reached in her pocket for her phone to take a few pictures, but noticed that she had a text from Toriel.

_Hello, my child. I hope you are all having a good time. Please keep your Dunkle out as long as you can. Papyrus, Grillby and I only started cooking. We want everything to be perfect for the party today – and remember, Sans can't know what we're doing! It would ruin the surprise! Love you, Frisk! <3 _

_-Mom_

Before replying, Frisk pointed her phone at Asriel and Chara, who were having a mock-battle of sorts. Both of them stood in fabulous poses that would make Mettaton proud. Maria was "tied" to the nearest tree with Jack's white and gold cape, cheering Asriel on. When Asriel would go to attack, he'd be swathed in that beautiful golden glow. After taking a few pictures, she saved the best ones and messaged Toriel back.

_No worries, Mom! We're having a great time! Here's some pictures!_

_And sure, we'll keep Sans out as long as possible. Love you too!_

_-Frisk_

She hit send and beamed. Then, she settled in and watched her siblings for a while. The show they were putting on was quite impressive and apparently she wasn't the only one that thought so. Kids and their parents began to gather, perhaps drawn in by the eye-catching colors of their magic. The mock battle got even more exciting when the two of them used sticks in lieu of swords. Jack added extra clanging effects and sparks of light to captivate the growing crowd. After several minutes of parries, dodges and admettedly cool exchanges of dialouge, the two found themselves in a stalemate. Neither one of them could move without making themself vulnerable to the other. Just when it looked as if there were no end in sight, Chara did something that, looking back on it, probably wasn't a good idea. With a whoosh of sound and a burst of purple light, two small human skulls appeared on either side of ver. They were bright red in color and glowed with the same purple light that surrounded ver. Asriel, in turn, summoned a small goat-like skull with curved horns. This display caused even more people to flock to the scene. Disappointed that her view of the battle was gone, Frisk got up and decided she deserved a front row view of the action.

That turned out to be a big mistake.

As Frisk started to make her way to the crowd of humans and monsters, the auras of others began to pop into her vision all at once. Dark blues, cyans, yellows, oranges, greens and purples overtook her field of vision in a matter of seconds. She stifiled a cry of pain as she closed her eyes and found herself staggering backwards. A headache was blossoming along her temples and forehead.

"N-no... not now..." she murmured to herself while blindly trying to find the bench again. She tried to open her eyes, but the overwhelming rainbow of auras only worsened her headache. Soft throbbing turned into a sickening pounding feeling. Like someone was knocking around her brain with a sledgehammer. All the while, she could hear and feel the crowd's cacophony of excitement bore into her entire being. The monsters weren't as bad as humans in terms of intensity. Their colors were dimmer and their emotions a bit more muted. But the twenty or so humans? Their souls shined brightly with the colors that defined their traits. There were other colors as well, ones that Sans called "signifying colors", but she didn't know how to read those yet. And even if she could, she doubted she could focus on them. Not when her brain felt as if it were being gouged out.

_It's okay. It's okay. It'll pass. This is normal. This is fine. It's okay. I need to stay back and wait for Sans._

She tried to reassure herself over and over again, but walking without being able to see was a scary feeling. She kept her arms out to avoid bumping into things, but apparently that wasn't enough. Her stomach gave a horrible lurch as she crashed into something solid. A warm, sturdy, something solid. Frisk blearily opened her eyes and wished she hadn't. Red light overtook her vision. Red, then black. And while Frisk didn't understand what other signifying colors meant yet, black was something she'd been all too acquainted with.

_Evil_

_Hate_

_Wrath_

The awful words darted along her consciousness as she she backed away, eyes closing once more. For the first time since that fateful day she'd ran away from home, Frisk felt truly and utterly helpless.

_Evil_

_Hate_

_Wrath_

_Suffer_

_Harm_

"N-no..."

"Frisssssk..."

_Evil. Hate. Wrath. Suffer. Harm. Evil. Hate. Wrath. Suffer. Harm._

Stars burst in her sight, though she didn't the the person had done so much as lay a finger on her. They were just there, an imposing presence that could devour her at any moment. She could see them without opening her eyes. A black figure accented by red. By Determination. Every tiny step back she took was met with another step forward.

"S-stay b-b-back..."

Another stumble back, another step forward.

_Evil. Hate. Wrath. Suffer. Harm. Evil. Hate. Wrath. Suffer. Harm. Evil. Wrath. Hatred. Suffer. Harm._

And another, and another. Frisk legs threatened to buckle underneath her as the pain and fear began to rule her. And in such a situation, her power spoke again.

_**Looks like you're in trouble. You could Go Back. Back to the last Save. You'd be Underground, of course, but you would be safe.** _

_EVILHATEWRATHSUFFERHARMEVILHATEWRATHSUFFERHARMEVILHATEWRATHSUFFERHARMEVILHATEWRATHSUFFERHARM-_

_**This person wants you dead, can't you tell? Just give in. Give in and Go Back. If you die on the surface, you die for good. Are you ready for that?** _

"Ch-Chara... A-Asriel... S-S-Sans..." Bursting, all-encompassing pain. Frisk felt bile rise up to her throat as she dropped to her knees. No longer able to move as the figure loomed over her. "H-he-hel-"

_**They can't hear you. They're too busy with their fun to notice. Don't worry, it's for the best. You can RESET their memories so they don't realize what you've taken from them. Let them go out with a smile and return to the beginning. You know you have to.** _

_EVILHATEWRATHSUFFERHARMEVILHATEWRATHSUFFERHARM!_

_**RESET FRISK.** _

_EVILHATEWRATHSUFFERHARMEVILHATESUFFERWRATHHARMEVIL-_

And then, the barrage of voices and words stopped.

Just stopped.

Frisk didn't dare move, didn't dare breathe. And then...

"Hey there, buddy. Nice day, isn't it?" A familiar and welcome voice cut across the internal struggle in her mind. "It would be a pity to ruin it, right? Might wanna move before I give you a **b a d t i m e**." An image of a thin, white and cyan chord became clearly visible in Frisk's mind. With it, positive intent crashed over her like a tsunami and washed away all the negative intent, pain and fear. The litany of vile words and her power's voice faded entirely.

_Safe._

_Cherish._

_Protect._

Faintly, a small part of her registered the sounds of someone – a man – running away in obvious terror. She gripped her savior tightly, body trembling. His arms wrapped around her and the scent of ketchup, cheap bar soap and something faintly earthy filled her senses. A bony hand started to rub soothing circles along her back. "It's okay, kiddo. I'm here. Dunkle Sans is here." She tried to explain what happened, but the words died in her throat. Those feelings had been so raw, so intense... so hauntingly familiar. It reminded Frisk of those darker days Underground, back when The Demon had full control. Back when she'd been helpless and hopeless in stopping the destruction she'd wrought.

Back when her soul wasn't her own.

Time almost stood still as Sans' mere presence seemed to absorb the intent and colors of everyone around. The ability to see auras soon faded entirely. Frisk felt herself being awkwardly carried in his arms, hearing only an occasional grunt of exertion coming from him. As the seconds ticked by, the remainder of her pain and anxiety melted away like ice on a hot summer day. She reluctantly let go of him and allowed herself to be sat down, only to be hugged again moments later. A skeletal arm wrapped around her protectively and she laid her head on his shoulder. "Keep your eyes closed and breathe. You'll feel better soon." He spoke softly. There was a hint of something _off_ in his tone, but she couldn't register what it was. Her mind couldn't focus on it, when she was still so shaken up about what had just happened. So she kept her eyes closed and lay there for an unknown amount of time. His magic gently wrapped itself around her entire being with a heartfelt embrace.

_Safe._

_Cherish._

_Protect._

_Love._

After a while, she found herself feeling good. Really good. The change was jarring, sudden and very much welcome. She finally opened her eyes moved to look up at him. Her heart sank a little at the sight of him. He looked calm on the surface, but there was an underlying tiredness in his expression. Beads of cyan sweat trickled down his skull, gleaming in the sunlight.

"You okay?" He asked her, eyelights small and dim.

"U-uh, yeah. Sorry. I f-forgot to meditate before going into the crowd."

"Ugh, I know how that is – used to happen to me all the time. Don't blame yourself. It took me _years_ to figure out what was going on." He gave a low, humorless chuckle. "Used to think I was going mad or something." His perpetual grin went a bit too wide. "But, er, yeah. You shouldn't apologize. I'm the one that was gone. There's no excuse for that. I shouldn't have left you alone. Fuck, I'm a shitty pare-"

Frisk hugged him again and focused on sending her own positive feelings through their bond.

_Thankfulness._

_Forgiveness._

_Relief._

_Family._

_Love._

"Don't talk bad about yourself, okay? I love, you, Dunkle."

His smile became more relaxed and genuine at her words. She felt his entire body settle into a natural, more relaxed position. "Heh, okay. Love ya too, Frisk."

They would remain like that for a good while, watching as Chara, Asriel, Jack and Maria had their fun. The four of them decided to go back to playing tag. Without the brilliant display of power, the crowd seemed to have lost interest. No one seemed to be aware of the incident, which was fine with her. Still, part of her couldn't help but worry.

_I hope I didn't ruin his birthday. Everyone's been working so hard to make it special..._

**~()~**

Toriel smiled to herself as she put the finishing touches on her and Sans' favorite – snail pie. The dough, flecked with cold butter, would make a flaky and savory crust. The snail filling was only seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and chives. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin the subtle and delicate taste by being heavy-handed with the spices. She'd even made the gravy from a thicked snail stock, just to reinforce the flavor. It is a special dish that only the two of them appreciated, but that was fine with her.

More for them.

She hummed while fitting a fancy lattice over the crust and brushed it with egg wash to ensure an even, golden brown. After hitting the top with a modest amount of smoked sea salt, she picked up the pie and walked toward the oven. "Excuse me, Papyrus, would you mind letting me through for a moment?"

Papyrus, whom had been slaving over a tomato sauce that perfumed the kitchen with notes of garlic and thyme, stepped aside with a smile. "Of course, Toriel! My aplogizes for monopolizing the stove!"

"No, no, it's alright. It's getting a bit crowded in here, is it not?"

"Crowded with only the finest culinary creations!" Papyrus motioned toward the sturdy oak table, which she could've sworn was threatening to snap under the weight of food it held. Lasagna, a mountain of garlic bread, a very large bowl of salad, stuffed pasta shells in alfredo sauce, cinnamon-butterscotch pie, chocolate chip cookies, several homemade pizzas of different kinds and an ungodly amount of sugary soda. The finest creation, however, was a large, three-tiered cake that she and Papyrus had labored over extensively. It was him who suggested the blue and purple galaxy theme exterior, with a swirl of strawberry and chocolate for the interior.

"Nothing but the best for my lazybones brother." He laughed a little bit. "Though from what you tell me, he isn't so lazy anymore!"

Toriel beamed as she put the pie in the oven to bake. "He's been too busy, I suppose. We've only been dating ten months, but he's become a constant presence in the kids' lives. He goes to PTA meetings, drives Chara to and from all ver hockey games, does odd jobs around the house, takes me out on dates every other Friday... and spoils the kids on Saturdays." Her soul fluttered at the thought of last Saturday, when he'd taken the kids to the zoo. "I was afraid he wouldn't want the responsibility when Asriel and Chara came back to life, but he's stepped up quite a lot. And he's so good with them – and Frisk, too! I just – He's made everything so _perfect!_ " She swallowed thickly, a prickle of happy tears nipping at her eyes. "I don't regret my time with Asgore, if only because he helped me bring Asriel into the world. But Sans... he's like..." She sniffled and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her dress. "It's like there was a part of me missing, a piece of a puzzle I didn't know wasn't finished. I only realized it when Sans... when he came into my life." She gave a watery chuckle, realizing that she'd blathered perhaps a bit too long. "Oh dear. That probably sounds silly, doesn't it?"

Papyrus and Grillby, the latter of whom had been quietly forming burger patties, both stared at her with positively radiant expressions.

"That's not silly at all." Grillby said softly. "You two are great for each other. You bring out a part of him that actually _tries_ , and he... I think he brings out your happiness. You definitely seem to smile a lot more." He took her hand in his, pulsing with warmth. "And honestly, I've never seen him happier than with you and the kids."

"That's... that's really... thank you, Grillby."

"You're welcome, Miss Toriel."

After a few minutes, she gently pulled away from the fire elemental. Papyrus, whom had been a whirl of activity, stood next to her. His own eye sockets a bit watery as well. It looked as if he were going to say something, only for him to shake his head and look away. She followed his gaze toward the glass sliding doors. From their vantage point, she could see that Mettaton, Alphys and Undyne were still decorating the back yard. To Mettaton's standards, of course. At first, Toriel had been against the idea for fear of his egotism marring everything. She'd been worried that the robot would turn the event into a celebration of himself. But, to her surprise, he kept it all very Sans-themed. Whoopie cushions on every chair, blue and white streamers, balloons shaped like bones and a comically gigantic bottle of ketchup as the centerpiece for one of the tables. The massive ketchup bottle even had a dispenser on the side, so that it would be easy to get into a cup.

She shuddered at the thought of consuming so much of the red liquid at once. As much as she loved her boyfriend, she'd never understand his obsession with the condiment.

Even if Mettaton had paid Grillby handsomely to fill said giant container with his own supply.

Still, it made her happy to know that the people closest to Sans were helping in some way. Well, almost everyone. She'd gone from cold to cordial with Asgore for the sake of the kids – something that had taken a lot of effort on her behalf. And yet, their positions had slowly reversed, minus the one-sided attraction. The longer she dated Sans, the less involved he'd become. And when she'd called Asgore about Sans' birthday, he'd had absolutely no enthusiasm at all. He'd told her that he couldn't be involved. Apparently, his flower shop business was _blossoming –_ her words, not his – and there simply wasn't any time. She didn't buy the excuse for a second. His lack of warmth toward Sans had started getting more and more noticeable as of late. But to not even wish his friend a happy birthday? It shocked her how heavily his absence weighed down on her soul. It wasn't fair to want or expect her ex-husband to be around, especially when his feelings weren't exactly a secret. It made sense that Asgore would put distance between them, if she didn't think about it with her own bias. If the roles were reversed and Sans somehow ended up with him?

Well, she'd rather not think about it.

_Oh, Asgore..._

**~()~**

Sans was, in a word, tired.

_Bone-tired_ didn't even begin to grasp the beginning of how he felt.

Standing upright, let alone walking, was starting to become very difficult. If not for the extensive practice he'd had in ignoring his body's needs, there's no doubt he'd have passed out by now. But he wasn't alone and he couldn't afford to just collapse like that. Not while the kids were around.

The trio talked animatedly among themselves as they walked home from Nice Guy's Nicecream Parlor. They'd mostly had a good day together, except for the incident in the park – something he and Frisk had decided to keep to themselves until tomorrow. When it could be discussed without ruining their fun. After the park, Sans had taken them to see the new Harold Planter movie, then to the local PlayStop to buy new Intendo Flips and one game each. He'd been saving money from the generous stipends Asgore had granted every adult monster household. With gold as valuable as it is on the surface, eligible monsters were given monthly allotments to use as they see fit, in addition to whatever finances they'd had in the Underground. Most opted to better themselves in some way, like furthering their education, paying for a new house or starting up a business. All responsible and respectable choices. Others spent their money fast and loose, enjoying all the finest things humanity had to offer. All of that was well and good for most people, but Sans couldn't think of much that he wanted or needed.

Alphys had suggested getting into science again, which he'd rejected outright. Mettaton had offered him a helping hand in getting into the entertainment industry, but that would've required leaving Toriel and the kids for months at a time – something he just couldn't bring himself to do. Papyrus insisted that Sans buy himself new clothes and a new bed, instead of wearing the same hoodie he's worn for so long. Various others had thrown in their opinions as well, but nothing really appealed to the prankster. He didn't want to go shopping for useless objects that would clutter the house. Getting into a career to make money he already had? Nah, too much work. As for his clothes? Well, he cherished the blue hoodie that he'd stitched up time and time again. But he did decide to buy a couple new shirts, a plethora of socks for his collection and a new pair of fuzzy pink slippers to replace the ones that had gotten destroyed Underground.

But that didn't even put a dent in the amount of money he'd scrimped and saved over the years. So what _did_ he do with it?

Use it on others, of course.

Papyrus had gotten the car of his dreams right off the bat, as well as a full ride to any school of his choice – all expenses and housing paid for, of course. It was the least he could do for his super cool, amazing, wonderful little brother.

Mettaton didn't need his help, but he'd appreciated the offer.

Asgore didn't _want_ his help, or anything to do with him, really.

Grillby had gotten an "anonymous donation" to help open his restaurant. In typical Sans fashion, he'd sent him the check... in a charcoal grill.

The bulk of the money went to spoiling Toriel and the kids, of course. He'd never forget the utter joy in his girlfriend's eyes when they purchased her dream home near the school. The large, two-story home had a room for every need. Several bathrooms, a bedroom for each kid, a spacious kitchen and living room... and a big back yard to frolic in. It didn't end there, either. He'd then proceeded to fill it with anything and everything he could think of. Toys. Appliances. Various means of entertainment. Art supplies. Hockey gear. Whatever any of them showed interest in. He didn't, nor wouldn't, stop at that. Never, ever would they want for anything. Not like he had. Not like Papyrus had.

It didn't matter that none of them directly called him "dad" or "father". Frisk had her own hangups surrounding the word, mostly due to a childhood that hit too close to home for him. Despite how close they'd gotten during their time Underground, he knew it wouldn't be a fair thing to ask. After all, Sans understood all too well what kind of weight the term of endearment held. Dunkle, as it turned out, was her compromise. The best parts of being a dad and an uncle, without the emotional vulnerability attached to it. The sweet and silly title had become a point of honor for him.

_Dunkle to the Monster Ambassador_ had a very nice ring to it, after all.

Then, there were Asriel and Chara to consider. Despite admittedly horrible circumstances that had occurred, they're good kids. It wasn't their fault that things had gotten so bad. No more so than Frisk or anyone else. A bad succession of choices and events had occurred and resulted in Flowey and The Demon's long series of Resets. No one had started out trying to hurt anyone, but sometimes good intentions became twisted and distorted when in the face of absolute power. But once their former selves had been restored, Asriel and Chara were the furthest thing from their evil identities. Chara, as it turned out, shared his and Toriel's deep love of terrible punnery and jokes. Asriel... Asriel reminded Sans so very much of Papyrus. Despite all the bad blood, all the dust, all the _**bad times**_ and repeated deaths, those kids were just so damn easy to love.

However...

However much he cared for them, Chara and Asriel already had a dad they loved very much. A dad whom, despite a recent and justified falling out, was more than deserving of the title. Asgore was an amazing parent in his own right. Very soft-spoken and tenderhearted towards his children. Incredibly patient and kind. Far wiser than Sans could ever hope to be. And while the King of All Monsters couldn't afford to shower them with nice gifts or fancy outings, there was one thing he could give that was far more precious. And with every day that passed, Sans lacked more and more of it.

"I dunno, Azzie, _anything is popsicle_ if you believe!" Chara said with a grin, as they made their way home. Their afternoon had long since turned to evening The setting sun painted Ebott City's skyline in a luxurious pink and purple hue. "Don't stop following your _creams_!"

"Chaaaaraaaaa!"

" _Cone-gradulations,_ Chara. You really outdid yourself there."

"Haha! Thank you, Frisk."

"Frisk nooooo!"

Sans laughed as Asriel pouted. Chara and Frisk had been making puns about ice cream as they walked home, shopping bags in tow. Amusement aside, he appreciated that they were doing something so easy and simple, even if they didn't realize they were helping him out. Laughing and going along with puns was something he could handle right now. The ache in his skull, while distracting, wasn't a problem. He'd spent the past year getting familiar with the constant pounding in his skull. Compared to other, more extreme instances, it was a small price to pay. The soreness in his chest wasn't too bad, either. Hell, it was only at a three today – an all-time low. No, what really got to him was the strange feeling in his very soul. It felt very light and shaky in his chest. Even though it didn't hurt, he could tell that something was very wrong. His magic, his essence, felt as if were centered around his soul. Trying to _something_. What, exactly? Keep it whole?

Heh, not possible.

Well, whatever his magic was doing, it was making him very drained. And while magical exhaustion was also familiar and easy to work around, this was... far worse. Heavier. Deeper. Colder. While the kids were distracted with each other, Sans took a moment to perform a quick and subtle Check on himself.

**1 ATK**

**1 DEF**

**0.004/0.3 HP**

***Can't hold on much longer.**

_Well, that's rather disheartening._ Sans thought to himself weakly as he vanished the Check. He gave a wan smile at the pun. _I don't have much time left, but, that's okay. They'll.. they'll be fine without me. I've seen to it. The kids... Tori... Paps... they don't need me anymore. I've done all I can do. I'll just walk them home and say I'm going to spend the night at Pap's dorm. Then... then I'll go somewhere and look up at the stars one more time._

_Yeah, sounds like a plan._

_Happy Birthday, me._

The somber thought filled him with a feeling of finality, one that he met head-on. He'd died so many times before, but there would be no coming back from this. Frisk wouldn't dare Reset and lose her siblings. Sure, things would be sad for a while, but they would all live good lives as his beneficiaries. It was all for the best. With that knowledge in mind, the former Arbiter of the Underground decided to focus on the precious little time he had left with his family.

...

Fate, however, decided that his plans weren't good enough. Because of course not. That would be far too easy.

As the four of them turned into the corner of Dippet Street and Cherry Avenue, two humans in black hoodies jumped out at them. The humans had big, hulking figures – likely men who worked out or overused steroids. They'd jumped out from behind an empty building. An old wearhouse or something. Normally, Sans would've felt their intent from over a mile away, but his rapidly deteriorating health had left him without his usual magic reserves. The hooded men pointed their guns at them with an air of authority.

"Give us the bags, or we'll pump you full of lead!" One of them commanded. He tapped the gun on Sans' head. "You heard me, freak!"

Behind him, he could hear Asriel's terrified crying and Frisk's gasp of horrified shock. Chara was harder to read, but the pure magic rolling off ver was more than noticable. Sans took a deep, calming breath and started to mentally go through his options but was interrupted when Frisk, the first to act, attempted to hand the man her bag. In that instant, the decision was made for him. Sans shook his head stepped up to the men, arms outstretched.

_Stay back. Trust me._

He told them through their bond as he took another step forward.

He knew the items in their bags wouldn't be worth it normally. The easiest and safest thing would be to give the thieves what they wanted. However, things were different now. He was going to become dust soon enough. His life didn't matter.

It never did.

Besides, who was to say those pistol-waving humans would stop once they got the goods? No, no, no! People who wanted to hurt others didn't play by the rules. It was something he'd experienced time and time and time again. So, he wouldn't either. Disregarding his precarious condition, Sans summoned every ounce of magic he had left in him.

"Heh, you know, it's a really nice evening out. The sun is setting, the streets are quiet. On evenings like this..." Agony exploded within the culmination of his being as he summoned his magic. More power than he'd used in _months_ was suddenly at his fingertips, roaring for the end of these men's lives. Part of him was tempted to do just that, and probably would have if he were alone. But even if he killed one guy, it would be entirely possible for the other to hurt someone else. No. Fighting was too risky. So... "thugs like you get nothing." A vivid flash of cyan illuminated the area, making the men shriek and drop their weapons. He'd likely blinded them, for at least a few, precious moments. "Kids, grab onto me, quick!"

_**Crack!** _

Sans almost lost consciousness as the remainder of his soul snapped in half, held together by the thinnest of margins. Fleetingly, he figured adrenaline was the only thing keeping him from dusting on the spot. That, or the ungodly amount of Determination stored in his marrow. As soon as he felt three sets of hands grab onto him, Sans summoned a shortcut aimed at Toriel's porch and flung everyone into it. Colors swirled and meshed in a turbulent thunder of magic and space-time distortion. Precious seconds in the void tore at his very being. His entire body felt as if molten lava was coursing through his magiveins.

"H-hang on!"

_**CRACK!** _

With a fast but rough landing, Sans found himself laying on the wooden porch of their house, vision white as the pain went from agonizing to excruciating. Far worse than anything beyond his wildest dreams. His soul, his existence, was beginning to fracture into small pieces. In his mind's eye, he got a vision of what remained, trying to split apart. Only held by the faint, thin threads of his own Determination.

"Heh. G-g-g-g-uess some g-good -urk – did c-come from it, eh?" He asked, thinking of a certain skeleton that no longer existed. "Ha... wh-wh-what a punchline."

"Sans! Sans! What the fuck?" Chara cursed. He could hear ver voice, loud and brimming with emotion. Violent, desperate emotion. "Wh-wh-what's happening? What the fuck? D-d-don't you die on me, Comedian! Don't you fucking dare!" In the background, he could hear Asriel and Frisk banging on door. They were screaming for someone, anyone to help. Unfortunately, everything was beginning to slow down. All things considering, it was almost poetic that Chara was the one holding him now. His vision started to fade and he began to lose sight of ver, but he could still reach out. His bony fingers brushed against soft cheeks, wet from tears. He coughed and wheezed, feeling what little magic he had in him begin to ebb away. It sought out the kids, ready to fulfill the agreement his magic had unwittingly set over a year ago.

"It's... I'm.... d-d-don't cry, Chara. I-I'm just _b-b-bone tired,_ that's all. Don't worry your _skull_ off over m-me..."

It occurred to him that he could hear other voices in the background, but the only one he could register was Chara, whom had brought him in for a surprisingly gentle hug. Ve treated him like they were someone precious and important, not the person whom they'd fought over and over again as The Demon. If he were more with it, the _humorous_ irony would've _slayed_ him.

He allowed his eye sockets to close. It was getting harder to hold on to himself. The finality of death beckoned him lovingly, promising him a peaceful and permanent nap. After what felt like an eternity, Sans felt his body being lifted up in a set of arms. A familiar, bony set of arms.

"B-br..her? S...ns?"

Papyrus.

_Huh. I didn't know he was back in town. Too bad he has to see me like this_

Then, there was another voice. "W...t's g.... on? Wait... S...ns? Sans!?" Toriel's voice. Even in the throes of desperation, her voice was as melodic as ever.

"P-Paps... T-Tori... L-lo..."

It happened before Sans could even profess his love for them one more time. The blackness that had been rapidly gaining on him had finally taken hold. He felt himself falling deeper and deeper into a peaceful slumber. The pain fading. The remainder of reality disappearing for good.

_Love you... all of you._ Was his last coherent thought before slipping away.


	2. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Sans' nearly dying is... quite emotional. Also, a wild Gaster appears. :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this was fun to write! I finished it very quickly, given how difficult the first chapter was to write. Prepare for a wild ride of emotion! Wheeeee~!

“B-brother? Sans?”

It was supposed to be a special evening. A happy evening.

An event to celebrate the most important person in his life. 

_This can't be happening._

_This can't be happening!_

“What's going on? Wait...Sans? Sans!?”

_This isn't real._

“P-Paps...Tori...l-lo-”

_This isn't real._

“Oh my God! Kids, what – how did this happen?”

“I-I don't know! I don't fu-freaking know! We were just walking home from Niceguy's and th-these thugs showed up!”

“Th-they hit Sans with their gun!”

_No._

_No, no, no._

“Oh stars! They did what?”

“Th-th-hic-these guys, they came out of nowhere and w-w-wanted to steal our s-stuff...Mr. S-Sans p-protected us!”

“Th-they hit him and h-he p-put us in a shortcut!”

_No, no, no, no, no, no..._

_Delta, please no!_

“Where did they hit him?”

“In the h-head...”

Instead of it being a fun and memorable evening, it was more like something out of Papyrus' worst nightmares. He'd known about Sans' lone HP for a long time now. Some would suppose it logical that something bad would happen eventually. And yet, it caught him completely off guard. Despite his laziness, Sans had always, always, always been careful not to get hurt. So to hear the kids frantically explain their encounter with the hooded men... it felt surreal. Unnatural. Unacceptable. They'd gone through so much, overcome so many things and made it to the surface. The actual surface, for goodness sake! The stuff of legends, hopes and dreams! All in their lifetime – something he'd admittedly doubted every once in a while. Justs a little. They'd done all that... only for some unkind humans to hurt his brother so gravely. It wasn't fair! It wasn't right! How could the world be so cruel? Especially to someone like Sans?

He refused to look down. He refused to see the still form of his brother. As long as he didn't see, he didn't have to accept this new reality. The fact that Sans had Fallen Down. This all had to be some kind of bad dream, Papyrus was almost sure of it. Life couldn't be that horrible, that twisted! Sans couldn't just _die_! Not like this!

Please, not like this.

_This is a nightmare, that's all. I'll wake up in my cool racecar bed in my dorm and call Sans. He'll tease me for being so silly. Tell me some terrible puns to ruin my night. I'll laugh. I'll smile. Maybe give him a good japing right back._

_Then, he'll read me Fluffy Bunny until I fall asleep._

_Just like always._

Papyrus's eye lights darted around wildly, his soul thumping heavily in his chest. People were moving around. Shouting, crying. Panicking. Out the corner of his left light, he caught a glimpse of Chara sitting on a spot on the floor. Ve gripped vis head and rocked back and forth, while Asriel tried to comfort them. Frisk stood oddly still and shaking her head no. At one point, Frisk tried to reach out, but ultimately pulled away. She too was likely lost in a world of hurt as well – it was no secret how much she loved her Dunkle Sans. Papyrus lost track of Grillby and Mettaton – the two of them must've gone to another room.

_Sans is fine._

_He's just sleeping._

_Sans wouldn't let some badly misguided humans be the end of him._

Alphys seemed to be frantically doing _something_. Her fast, anxious talking was impossible to make sense of. And Undyne? She was at his side, silent and staring at his arms. He still couldn't look. Not yet. He couldn't let it be real, couldn't let it be true. His bones rattled with a loud, hollow sound as he looked different directions. Trembling, shaking. His knees locking together. The living room had also been decorated and rearranged for Sans' party. The couches and loveseats had been shoved to the back of the rather spacious area. They'd draped black curtains over the windows to keep any glare or residual light outside from ruining their view of the television. A popcorn machine had been set up with all sorts of tasty fixings – and ketchup, of course – and all of Sans' favorite movies had been rented. The idea to implement movie night into the birthday proceedings was Toriel's idea. Then again, the party as a whole had been pretty much her doing.

_Her_ doing and not _his_.

_"I believe he would appreciate a chance to relax."_ Toriel had said earlier in the day, when she'd gone over their itinerary. _"Good food, cheesy movies, bad laughs... there's nothing more Sans than that."_

While he'd merely laughed and agreed at the time, her words shook him upon recollection. An ache began to form deep within Papyrus' soul, as it hit him how well Toriel seemed to know his brother. Sans had _improved_ so much over the year. Well, according to their phone calls and the former queen's frequent updates. He'd become a cool un – er, _dunkle –_ figure to three kids, managed to keep up a romantic relationship and seemed overall _happier_ than his time Underground. Gone was the brother who slept twelve hours a day and napped frequently despite it. Gone was the brother who ate nothing but ketchup and junk food; whom refused to pick up a single sock for months at a time. Somewhere along the way, Sans had finally, _finally_ come back into his own.

Back to the brother who'd taken such good care of him growing up.

All while Papyrus had been away at college.

And now? He'd never get to see the changes first hand.

Papyrus wasn't aware that he'd dropped to his knees, not until his caps began to throb dully. "S-S-Sans...S-Sans..." He hugged his brother's body to him. Something in him was shattering into a million little pieces. He tentatively lowered his head, orange tears trickling onto Sans' skull. Empty, black eye sockets stared back at him like a yawning abyss. A hand – Undyne's – rested on his shoulder. "B-brother, d-d-don't go to sleep now! S-Silly l-l-lazybones! We're all h-here with you!" He hitched his breath and forced himself to smile. To be strong.

Just like Sans had, many times over.

"T-Toriel...Ch-Chara...Frisk...Asriel...Grillby...M-Mettaton...Alphys...Undyne...and y-y-your one and only coolest brother, me! The G-Great Papyrus! Nyeh, heh, hoo." He swallowed audibly, a lump forming in his nonexistent throat. "We've been working on this party all day, you know! Just for you! Pl-please, brother... please tell me this is one of your pranks. I won't be angry, I swear!" A tightness began stirring in his soul. This was all too much. Too raw. Too real.

Way too real.

"..."

"Pap..."

"Y-you can tell me all the puns you want! I'll even eat an ungodly amount of ketchup!"

"Pappy..."

"I'll d-d-do anything, Sans! I'll c-come back h-home! Support you! I'll t-take care of you, just like like you t-t-took care of me! So please, please wake up!"

"Papyrus..." Undyne let go of his shoulder as she knelt down beside him. "Listen, it's going to be okay. He's still here. He's not dust."

_Not yet. He's not dust yet._

“Y-yeah, Undyne is r-r-right.” Alphys stammered from his other side. He couldn't see her through his orange-tinged teary eyes, but her shaky voice somehow held a touch of confidence to it. “S-Sans is s-s-still h-holding on. F-From what I can t-t-tell, he's F-F-Fallen D-Down, but we can help him G-Get Up! I know more about the p-process this time around.” She gave him a small smile. “I've sent Grillby and M-Mettaton back to my lab in H-Hotland. Once they come back, w-we can get a look at Sans' soul and figure out what we need to do. For now, w-we've got to stabilize him with h-healing magic. And to do that, you've er, got to set him down on the floor.”

Papyrus wiped his eyes on his scarf and was met with Undyne's encouraging smile. “See! We're not giving up on him! And if _we're_ not giving up, certainly the Great Papyrus isn't going to cave, either.” She gave him a hard, yet playful slap on the back. “He's gonna Get Up again, you'll see!” He gently lay his brother down on the carpeted floor, with a bit of gentle coaxing from her. He found himself swept up in her arms. “We've got you, Paps. I've got you. You're not alone, okay?”

Papyrus collapsed in her arms, sobbing into her chest. She didn't seem to care that he was squeezing her way too hard, or that he was getting orange, sticky snot all over her favorite tank top. Instead, she continued to hold his rattling frame. The bones clattered loudly against each other, the hollow sound was almost haunting. 

"I need h-him... I n-n-need h-him..."

"Shhhh. I know. I know."

\- - - - - -

Things eventually settled down once the worst of everyone's outbursts were out of the way. Papyrus, Undyne, Toriel and Grillby spent the better part of four hours getting Sans into stable condition. For some unfathomable reason, the healing magic's efforts just wouldn't stick. Various little marks along Sans' skull healed up, as did the bruising, but their combined power wasn't enough to help him Get Up. Grillby and Mettaton returned within a half hour after being sent out, but Alphys had a lot of work she needed to do before she could scan his soul. That, and she didn't want to do so much as breathe on it funny until they were sure he wouldn't dust on the spot. Even the slightest miscalculation would kill someone with such abnormally low HP. The only thing she'd used was a basic scanning device, which could only tell how stable one's soul was. They were getting closer, but still a little bit off. Of course, expending so much magic over hours at a time was utterly exhausting. Despite the vast quantity of food available, Grillby found himself tiring quickly. And judging by the slumped way the others carried themselves, he wasn't alone.

He'd been horrified into silence upon seeing his dear friend so close to death. Though Sans didn't look as close to it as before, it still burned him up inside. Most humans accepted monsters openly, but there were always those bigoted few. The cruel, heartless minority that made it impossible for everyone to live in peace. Angry flames danced along his neck and arms, burning with a need for retribution. Someone _would_ pay for this crime. Those men _would not_ be forgiven. The fire elemental popped a piece of charcoal into his mouth. The fuel helped mitigate what tiredness he felt to an extent. Toriel was taking her turn with Sans's healing and he needed to be ready to take over.

Alphys had various wires and devices sprawled out on the floor, her brow furrowed in thought. “Will you be finished with that soon?” He asked her with a calm that he maintained with great difficulty.

“Huh? O-oh, yeah. Almost done c-configuring the soul s-scanner.” Alphys lifted up a small, gray box with a screen on it. “S-sorry, everyone. I'm w-working as fast as I can, but Sans' HP only goes up to one. I want to be sure I get an accurate reading.”

“Ah, of course. By all means, continue.”

"..."

The lizard monster adjusted her glasses and went back to work. Her normally wide, earnest eyes were narrowed in concentration. Undyne took a seat beside her, looking haggard and sweaty after her last turn to heal. She placed a hand on Alphys' knee in a show of silent support, yellow eye never leaving Sans' prone form. Grillby's gaze lingered toward his fallen friend and his soul lurched. It was striking how small the comedian looked without his signature blue hoodie. The Nyan Cat t-shirt and matching rainbow shorts looked a size too big on him. Or maybe several. He so badly wanted to reach out and grab a bony hand, but he knew better. Touching a victim while someone is healing them could lead to disastrous results for both them and the healer – even if said healer is at a hundred percent.

He imagined it would be a lot worse now, since Toriel looked about ready to keel over at any moment.

Her normally red, vibrant eyes had lost their luster and took on the muted color of dried blood. Green magic flowed freely from her palms, but didn't glow as brightly as it had even an hour ago. She grit her teeth, clawed hands shaking. Out of all of them, she'd taken the most and longest turns. Being a Boss Monster, she claimed, meant that she had higher reserves than anyone else in the room. And while that might be true, Grillby also knew that Toriel was burning through her magic at a dangerous rate.

Then again, Papyrus wasn't doing well, either. He'd gone quiet after his breakdown. There was no smile, no words of encouragement or hope. No overt optimisim in the face of something so bleak and terrifying. He just stared blankly at his brother and only responded when it was his turn to heal. The morose behavior, while disturbing, was completely understandable. It reminded Grillby of his own reaction to his grandmother being Snuffed Out unexpectedly in her sleep. He'd refused to eat or maintain his flame at the time, content to lie in the streets and fizzle out of existence. The morbid finality of those thoughts were hard to ignore.

Luckily for Grillby, he hadn't been left alone long enough for something like that to happen.

_I'll look after you, Papyrus. No matter what happens._ He vowed to himself. _I promise._

Time trickled by slowly, each second feeling longer than the last. Toriel kept going for another thirty minutes straight, teeth grit in obvious pain. The green glow of healing magic becoming almost impossible to see, meaning that the former queen was about to empty herself out. Taking a deep breath, Grillby got up and moved to take her place.

“Toriel, you need to stop. You've got almost nothing left.” He said gently. “Grab something to eat and let me take over. I should be able to last a good while.”

“...” Toriel shook her head, a stubborn wrinkle furrowing along her brow. Before an argument could break out, however, Alphys managed to diffuse the situation.

“A-actually, all of you can stop healing him for now. I've got the scanner configured to Sans. I won't be able to get a reading if you're using magic on him.”

“O-oh, alright then.” Toriel said in a very small, very tired voice. Her head drooped slightly as she moved to make room for the scientist. Grillby, seeing her difficulty, passed her a piece of snail pie that he'd warmed up. His effort was met with a faint smile as she quickly tucked into the food.

After a few minutes of setup, Alphys looked to Papyrus.

“D-do you think you can try calling out his s-soul? I-I know you're exhausted, but... well... Toriel needs r-rest and the kids...” Grillby looked over at the couch. Asriel was busy hugging and murmuring words of comfort to Chara, while Frisk sat next to Mettaton. The robot, in his EX form, had taken to holding Frisk close. The poor girl was shaking like a leaf. Her muffled crying just barely audible. “Y-you're the only f-family wh-who is capable and...”

Papyrus gave a single, sluggish nod. “Yes, of course.” He took a deep breath and closed his eye sockets. His gloved hands rested on Sans' chest. Seconds passed by as a soft, orange glow enveloped him. “Please bear with me. I've never done this before. But S-Sans did this sometimes... like when I got Soul Sickness. H-he'd I don't know what he did, but he would summon my soul and it h-helped me.” His voice quivered with emotion, but he puffed out his chest ever-so-slightly. “But if he can do it, so can I.” He didn't quite smile, but there was a touch of positivity about him, where there had been none before. A small improvement.

The mention of Soul Sickness sent a collective shudder through the adults, however. _Life has been very unfair to the two of you._ Grillby thought sadly, as a hint of white and faint cyan began to resonate with the growing light Papyrus exuded. It was an unhealthy, sickly glow coming from Sans, but at least the magic was there. _Soul Sickness, Falling Down... everything else. You two deserve better._

_So much better._

The process was slow because it had to be. One false move or ill-placed moment of irritation and Sans would dust then and there. Even just a physical or magical misstep with no ill will might be enough to kill him. But if there was one person who could be counted on to be careful with Sans, it was Papyrus. Inch by inch, centimeter by centimeter, San's soul was carefully summoned. Or so it seemed. For as soon as the younger skeleton brother canceled out his magic, they weren't met with the familair form a soul took. Hell, there wasn't even a _shape_ to look at. Char and soot rose up in the fire elemental's throat as he looked upon the small, amorphous blob that just _couldn't_ be there. It pulsed sickly, the cyan so faint that it vanished at times. Little streaks of red broke up the white color, almost becoming a faint pink with each throb of weak light.

Grillby had been preparing to see a damaged, maybe even splintered soul. But something like this? It was... it was something that couldn't be put into words. Silent horror permeated the air as the culmination of Sans' being rolled toward his brother, as if seeking comfort. Papyrus accepted him willingly, eye sockets as dark as Sans' own. Alphys, with a shaky claw, held the device towards them to get a reading.

"H-he promised..." Frisk murmured softly, breaking up the deathly silence that had overtaken the room.

"Promised what, darling?" Mettaton asked, his voice low.

"C-can't... please..." She curled up in on herself and began bawling anew. Asriel crawled over and tried to help Mettaton calm her down. Chara, however, remained frozen in place. Red eyes widening as if ve were realizing something for the first time. Something important.

"Wait... no. No way..."

“Chara? What is it, my child?” Toriel inquired softly, crawling over to be next to her children. “What promise is Frisk talking about? If you know something, please tell me – we can use that information to help.”

But Chara, too, shook vis head no.

“Chara...”

Chara merely hugged ver knees. “Damn you, Comedian.”

“Chara, please...” Papyrus asked, his arms trembling as Sans' soul retreated back into his body. “Please, tell us what you know? My b-brother can't really speak for himself right now, and every bit helps. Right, Doctor?” He looked to Alphys, who nodded. A tight, anxious smile spread across her lips.

“Th-that's right! The more y-y-you can t-t-tell me about him, the b-b-better his chances are. No m-matter what you t-t-tell us, we w-won't get mad! We all want to h-help.” Frisk's sobbing became louder and more guttural, while Chara's eyes darted over to Asriel. He kissed the top of Frisk's forehead and reached around awkwardly for a hug as well. The child stared at them for a bit, then shook their head once more.

“I c-can't. I'm sorry.”

Undyne shot upwards and loomed over Chara, her jaw clenched in poorly held back rage. “What? You don't get a choice here, kid! Sans is fucking _dying_ over here, and you know something that can save his life!” She grabbed the collar of vis shirt and hoisted Chara up to meet her gaze. “Tell us. Right. Fucking. Now.”

“I won't.”

“Excuse you, you little shit? How dare -”

_**Whoooosh!** _

A faint ball of fire just barely missed Undyne's shoulder, before snuffing out mid-air. Toriel stood, her breath ragged. Her fur disheveled and matted. She almost stumbled over – even that small bit of effort had been too much. “Get your hands off my child, Undyne.” Though raspy, her voice held an air of authority that couldn't be denied. Undyne scowled at her, then _threw_ Chara roughly on the couch.

“ _Your child_ knows something, Toriel! And if they don't wanna talk, then it's because they did something bad!” She flailed her arms wildly. “That's it, isn't it? Chara and Frisk fucked up somehow and you're cover-”

She was cut off by another fireball, this one making impact. It hit Undyne's left shoulder, causing her to gasp out in obvious pain. “You will not finish that sentence, Undyne. If you think _my children_ would be even capable of such a thing, you are insane!” She let out panting huffs of breath, smoke billowing out her nostrils. “They love him! They're family to him, as he is to them!” She launched another fireball, which once again petered out of existence. “And h-how dare you claim that I would ever condone such a thing! H-how could you imply that? I-I l-l-love him! I love him so much that I can't _breathe_ when I think about him dying on us!” The queen dropped to her knees, burying her face in her massive hands. She wept openly, her body jerking with the force of her sobbing. “I-I c-c-can't l-lose h-him... I c-c-can't...”

“I...I...” The anger in Undyne's expression slid off her face, her blue skin looking unhealthily light. She tentatively walked over to Toriel and got on her knees. “I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have... I...” Much to everyone's surprise, the goat mom reached out and hugged her.

“I-I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have attacked you. You've been working as hard as the rest of us. You just wanted answers... we all do.” Chara folded in on verself even more, curled up in a small ball on the couch. Frisk was _still_ inconsolable for reasons not fully understood, while Asriel and Mettaton tried to bolster her as best they could.

Grillby tasted ash in the back of his mouth as Undyne and Toriel talked out their differences. While he didn't agree with Undyne's methods, it was clear that the children knew a lot more than they were letting on. But trying to question them would only stir up another fight, which was the last thing anyone needed right now. His fire crackled and burned, his flames dancing as his unease turned to irritation. It took everything in him to hold back his temper.

They were just children, after all.

\- - - - - - -

Even though the scanner had finished a good ten minutes ago, Alphys waited for things to settle before getting a look at it. Tensions were high and everyone was starting to feel exhausted in one way or another. It was to be expected with how much effort gone into Sans' stabilization. Her mind buzzed with so many unanswered questions. What happened to Sans' soul? How does a monster live with only one HP to begin with? What did the children know? How was Sans still alive, when the lone hit from that human should have killed him? And, most damning... why are there faint lines of red in his soul? Red means Determination and monsters do not possess that kind of magical trait – they can't! Why wasn't Sans melting, if that were the case?

So many questions, and not a single answer to go off of.

And the scan results weren't helping, either. She read the artificial Check it provided, over and over again. As if a different answer would pop out at her unexpectedly.

**ATK 0**

**DEF 0**

**HP 00000000000.1/0.3**

***Tired.**

By all accounts, Sans shouldn't be alive anymore. Especially since she doubted the healing magic had done more than keep him tethered and fix superficial injuries along his body. The real harm couldn't have been done by a human with ill intent. At least, not in the way the children had explained everything. This kind of pervasive damage, enough to _deform a soul_ is either long-term, deliberate, or both. And based on how much Sans had changed over the year, Alphys couldn't believe it had been intentional on his end. Her friend must have been Broken multiple times for this sort of outcome. But who – or what – would want to break the altruistic, sometimes lazy, comedian?

_God, Sans... why didn't I notice? Why didn't anyone... notice?_

An image of his smiling face lingered came to the forefront of her mind.

_I didn't know something was wrong with him. He's been so happy lately. So hopeful. How could he hide such a grievous injury for so long?_

…

_Why didn't he tell anyone?_

As the scanner was passed around, others voiced similar questions.

"How long has he been like this?" Asked Mettaton.

"Why didn't he tell me?" "Why wouldn't he confide in me?" Asked Toriel and Papyrus at almost the same time.

"How did his soul become so... damaged?" Grillby asked, his voice crackling like low fire.

The children remained ominously quiet the whole time. Their presence an unreadable variable as Alphys wrestled with questions that she couldn't answer. There were too many things that weren't adding up. On a scientific level, a small part of her was fascinated by the perplexity of the situation. On a personal and deeper level, however, she felt as if she were going to be sick. Everyone would expect her to come up with some kind of solution, a plan, _anything_ to fix this. But a soul as damaged as Sans' was beyond her ability to repair. She couldn't just _bring people back from the dead_ like Frisk had managed to do with Asriel and Chara. If she'd been able to, well, she wouldn't have botched up the Determination Experiments so badly.

Maybe she could've even done them successfully.

Past mistakes and anxieties aside, the fact remained that current science wasn't capable or able. She wasn't qualified to Get Sans Up, regardless of what she'd told his grieving brother. And even if she could, what would stop her from messing it up like last time? Papyrus and Toriel wouldn't forgive her. Neither would Grillby or Undyne or Frisk or Chara... or anyone, really. They'd look at her with all the scorn and derision she deserved. Finally punished for all her mistakes, her lies, her unwitting _crimes_...

_Asgore shouldn't have made me Royal Scientist. It should have been you, Sans!_

_..._

_It should have been you._

_I can't save you!_

_I can't help you!_

_I'm sorry, Sans!_

_I'm garbage, I'm worthless! I should be dead instead of y-_

The lights suddenly went out, cutting off the well of self-loathing and uncertainty that had been gradually building up inside her. While Grillby's natural glow illuminated the area, it was a very low, uneven sort of ambiance that gave the room an eerie sort of feeling.

"Oh dear... the power's gone out." Toriel said, her tone troubled.

"That's hardly a surprise." Undyne mumbled, her voice gruff and raspy. "When it rains, it pours."

Mettaton shuffled in his spot and carefully pried Frisk and Asriel off him. "Don't worry, darlings. I'll handle it."

Grillby got up as well. "I'll come with you, Mettaton. I know where the circuit breaker is. Besides, you'll need someone to _light the way._ " His tone was strained, but he winked and shrugged in a very Sans-like fashion. The unexpected pun earned a few weak chuckles. It wasn't much, but there was a slight ease to the tension.

Before they could get far, however, the shadows within the room began to distort and shift. Strange, unpleasant gurgling sounds could be heard both from somewhere and everywhere at the same time.

"Oh my stars..." Alphys mumbled, as the impossible began to happen. Sans' body glowed with that sickly faint cyan color again, bones rattling like a wind chime during a storm. His feeble soul came out all on it's own, pulsing and undulating in an unsettling way. A small, purple dot rested in the center of the whitish blob. It pulled away slowly, as if trying to be careful. Not a sliver of the color remained. Sans' soul quivered and shook, before floating over to his brother once more.

Papyrus' expression was hard to read in the low light as he allowed Sans' soul to enter his chest. "It's okay, brother. I've got you."

Alphys took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes in disbelief, thinking that she must've been seeing things. But when she put her glasses back on, the dot of purple light lingered in the air. It floated around the room, gradually becoming bigger and bigger...

"Whoa..."

"What in the blue blazes?"

The manifestation of Perseverance – the trait associated with purple – continued to shift and grow in size, eventually forming into the outline of a person. A very thin person. Too thin to have flesh. Looking around the room, Alphys could see that everyone was just as shocked and mystified as her. Mouths open, jaws agape, even Frisk and Chara had pulled out of their upset to watch. The purple light began to dim as the form became more solid. More realized. Features became identifiable. Thanks to Grillby's light, Alphys was able to get an overall view of the man – no, monster. A _skeleton_ monster.

They were tall and poised with impeccable posture. Their skull was shaped similarly to Sans' own. One eye socket was big and round. The other remained firmly closed, giving the impression of a permanent wink. There were also two smooth cracks, one on each side of his face. One ran on the left, right over the closed eye socket and down past their cheekbones. The other scar started along the forehead and stopped just above the other eye socket. He wore a black coat, khaki slacks and a gray sweater.

"Greetings, everyone." They said with a decidedly male voice. A slightly distorted one at that. Warm and inviting, yet almost ethereal. "Allow me to introduce myself." He bent over in a proper, respectful bow. "I am Wingdings Gaster, but you may call me whatever you wish." His good eye light moved in Sans' direction. "Except _Uncle Dings, Uncle Dingbat_ or my personal favorite, _Uncle Dingus_. Sans has long since claimed those for himself."

Papyrus stood up, his breathing rapid. "Uncle? Does that mean...?"

The skeleton known as Gaster beamed in a way that felt oddly familiar to Alphys, despite having never met him before. "Yes, Papyrus, I'm your uncle. It's good to see you again. You've grown into such a fine young man." The smile slid off his face as he stared down at Sans' body. "I only wish I were here under better circumstances. Foolish boy... brave boy. Never did learn to put himself first."

Sans' soul shot out of Papyrus' chest with alarming speed before hovering over to Gaster. It floated around the polite skeleton, almost inquisitively. As if it – as if Sans – were examining him. Gaster took it in great stride, chuckling as he held up two hands with holes gouged out in the middle. Sans' soul rolled around the tips of his finger bones, vibrating with a slightly audible hum. It then traveled up Gaster's left arm and settled on his shoulder.

"Oh goodness. I missed you too, Sans." The soul briefly nuzzled him, before going back to Sans' body. Gaster's smile faded and he stood rigidly. All traces of levity gone. "Now, I'm sure all of you have plenty of questions for me, but there's no point in answering them, should you be willing to accept my help. I'm here because of magics more powerful and ancient than even you, Lady Toriel." He looked toward her with an air of gentleness and got down on her level. "I can't do it myself, but I know what needs to be done."

"And how do you plan on doing that, Mr. Gaster?" She asked him in a tired voice, quivering with the slightest hint of hope. "How can you help us?"

He grasped her larger hand in his own. "I can facilitate the environment required to restore him. However, as I've said, I cannot do it myself. It must be each of you who do the hard work." He motioned to everyone with outstretched arms. "If you want to SAVE Sans, all of you must be willing to pay the mental and emotional cost. If one of you is absent or refuses, the magic I've set in place will not work." His eyes glowed a deep, vivid purple and a low rumblin could be heard from somewhere. Before Alphys could figure out what was happening next, Gaster stood up fast. Several skeletal hands appeared, identical to his own. They grabbed Sans' body, carefully supporting it.

Papyrus screamed and bolted toward them, eyes glowing a bright and vivid orange. All traces of his magical overuse suddenly gone. "Hey, wait! Mr. Gaster, what are you doing? He's frail! You can't j-just move him!"

Gaster ignored him and snapped his fingers. The strange sound of bone scraping against bone echoed hauntingly through out the room. Undyne and Grillby got on their feet, while Toriel struggled to stand.

"Put him down! Now!" Undyne demanded with a fierce battle cry, summoning a spear to her hands.

Grillby didn't bother with yelling. He merely fired a ball of flame that just barely missed the taller skeleton. It petered out harmlessly, much like Toriel's had against Undyne. "That was a warning shot. Next one won't miss."

Toriel didn't even try to use her magic. She merely staggered over to them and lunged, only to be effortlessly dodged.

"I would stop if I were you." Gaster said coldly. "If you Fight me, one of you will hit Sans by accident. Stay back and listen to me." As he spoke, a very large ring – a portal, perhaps – appeared at his side. The outside was tinged with a faint purple, but utterly black on the inside. Despite the impossibility, Alphys got a distinct impression that the ring was swirling with magic. With energy. Unfathomable energy that didn't obey natural laws. Gaster walked toward it without a second thought and looked back over his shoulder. "Enter here if you wish to SAVE him, but make sure that Asgore is among you."

"Dad?" Asriel asked, speaking up for the first time in hours. "What's dad got to do with this?"

Gaster smiled, but his expression wasn't kind at all. "Your father is quite involved, as a matter of fact. Sans holds him in high regard, after all." And with that, he jumped into the portal. It lingered on, glowing in an eerie, sinister sort of way. The room went silent once more, the weight of the situation feeling almost unreal. The only signs that anything had happened were Sans' absence.. and the scanner still laying on the ground. The green numbers glowing with a reminder of what was at stake.

**ATK 0**

**DEF 0**

**HP 00000000000.1/0.3**

***Tired.**

Alphys gulped, staring down at the screen.

“Well, shit.” Undyne muttered after some time had passed.

That sentiment, though vulgar, pretty much summed up their day.

Well shit, indeed.

**~()~**

Asgore took a deep drag from the clove cigarette in his mouth. The earthy flavor filed his senses as the welcoming burn trailed along his throat. He held it in for almost a minute to savor it, then exhaled upwards. A gorgeous day had given way to a moonless night that blanketed the outskirts of Ebott City under cover of darkness. He watched as the smoke traveled upwards, before fading into the night entirely. Maybe the pressures of everyday life were finally taking their toll, but there was an almost profound feeling it gave him. He too, wished he could disappear like the smoke and become one with the atmosphere. He chuckled tiredly at the thought as he shifted slightly in his hammock. The spring air had become slightly chilly, but going back inside didn't appeal to the massive goat-lion.

It wasn't like he had anyone waiting for him, after all.

At least outside, he could lose himself in the vastness of the stars above. Even though he'd been up on the surface for a year and three, no _four_ months, he still appreciated nature in all it's beautiful splendor. It was why he'd chosen to own a cabin closer to the mountain, rather then dwell in the clogged and congested city to the west. He didn't have to be on his feet, working to scrimp out a living after having to pay families of the children whom had fallen down. Out here, he wasn't the King of All Monsters. He didn't have to think about all the paperwork waiting for him at the Embassy, or the lives he'd demanded for the sake of freeing his people. The lives Toriel _still_ held against him, cordial behavior or no. He sighed heavily and breathed in another puff of smoke. The thought of his wife, his queen, filled him with a hollow, bitter feeling. One that started in the center of his soul and spread outward.

"I suppose I should stop thinking of her as mine." He murmured to the stars that were keeping him company. A sad sort of coldness settled in him as a memory came to mind. A very specific, very painful memory...

_"But, Tori, don't you see? This is a second chance for us! Our children are back, and now we've got Frisk, too!" The two of them were alone at the base of the mountain, having only been freed a few hours ago. He had been overcome with joy at the return of his beloved children and his wife's decision to exit the ruins. So much so that he'd proposed to her in the the middle of monster kind's temporary camping grounds. In his mind, their return meant that they could all be a happy family again. Surely, she'd have to forgive him now that Asriel and Chara were back! She'd remember the love they shared._

_Only, Toriel wasn't having any of it. After a firm rejection and a nasty glare, she'd grabbed him by the arm and dragged him off to talk in private. They'd wound up at the base of Mt. Ebott. Her red eyes glowed with utmost disdain – maybe even hatred – when she looked upon him. "And I told you no. We're done, Asgore. I won't deny you the right to Chara and Asriel, and if Frisk wants to be in your life, I'll respect her choice. But-"_

_Her words were like a knife right to the chest. He could feel something breaking inside him. His hopes, his dreams, his happiness torn from him in a single instant. In a moment of desperation and hurt, he reached out to touch her face, hold her... something. Maybe if he could just embrace her once more, she'd feel their love, their bond as husband and wife. He pulled her in close and breathed in her floral scent. She stiffened against his chest, her cold expression morphing into something unreadable. He searched for the residual magic of their wedding vows. After several moments in which he appreciated the warmth of Toriel's body so close to his, Asgore felt it. A weak but faint pulse of warmth, drowning in a sea of frigid fire. There was still hope._

_"But nothing, Tori. You feel it, do you not?" He placed a paw on her chest, right over where her soul would be. "Despite everything, our vows are still there. Our love is still there." He then grabbed her paw and placed right over his own. "And Tori? I still love you. I've never stopped. Not since that awful day." He swallowed thickly. "I know I've hurt you. I understand that I've made some mistakes, but it's been three hundred years. Haven't we both suffered enough?"_

_Toriel stiffened in his arms. "Let go of me."_

_"Tori, sweetheart-"_

_"I said LET GO!" She yelled, her voice reverberating into the night._

_But he refused. "Please... please don't do this! I need-"_

_A sudden burst of blue light exploded in the dark. Asgore unwittingly let go of Toriel, momentarily blinded by it's sheer intensity. He took a step back, staggering into a mighty redwood tree. Pain blossomed along the back of his head as made contact with the thick wood._

_"Whoops, sorry about that. Didn't mean to hurt ya. Got a bit anxious there, what with the yelling goin' on. Maybe you should back off a bit, Fluffybuns." Sans' voice said in an eerily calm sort of way. It held an air of authority and severity that didn't normally match the skeleton's joyval nature. When Asgore was able to open his eyes again, he caught a glimpse of yellow and cyan swirling together in the depths of Sans' eye socket. That could only mean one thing._

_Judgement._

_Asgore was more than a little floored to see that power, one meant to serve the Underground and it's royalty, was now being turned on him. He could feel it peering down into the depths of his soul, trying to determine if he was worthy of Punishment or Mercy._

_A power he'd used in Asgore's name time and time again._

_After several long, tense moments, the glow faded away and Sans regarded him with a sad smile. "Just... go. Take a load off. We'll talk this out later, when tensions aren't so high. The kiddos are lookin' for ya, Asgore. Why not spend a little time with them?"_

_Asgore looked from him to Toriel, whom seemed to be staring pointedly at a particular patch of grass. His stomach churned and twisted nastily, as if his insides were trying to wriggle out of him in shame. "I-I... okay." He swallowed painfully, a lump having formed in his throat. "My apologies. Toriel." With a deep, shaky breath, Asgore walked off. In the distance, he could hear Sans and Toriel talking._

_"Tori... are you... alright?"_

_"S-Sans Oh, Sans... I'm s-s-sorry..."_

_"It's okay. I **mist** you too. I was getting **bored to tears** waiting for you to come back." _

_The sound of her watery chuckle lingered for miles around._

Asgore let out a low, rumbling growl as he recalled that night. It had been admittedly selfish to latch onto her and ignore her protests, there was no denying that. At the time, he'd been grateful to Sans for stepping in. He'd believed that Sans was merely trying to help him and Toriel patch things up. After all, that was part of a Judge's job, right? To support their king through thick and thin? Just like Roman had done before his untimely end.

But Sans, as it turned out, was no Roman.

_Some friend indeed._

**Bzzzt! Bzzzt!**

Asgore was jolted out of his thoughts by a buzzing along his left pocket. With a sigh, he got out his phone. The screen flashed Toriel's name and number. His eyes narrowed in disdain as he hit the talk button. There were strange noises in the background. Likely the birthday party Toriel had been trying to get him involved in all week.

"I'm _busy_ , Toriel."

**Click!**

He turned off his phone and took a bigger drag of his cigarette. The long ash dropped down harmlessly into the wet grass below.

_As far as I'm concerned, he's no longer my Judge. Nor is he a friend._

_Sans Serif is dead to me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I actually wrote Asgore's part first. I hold nothing against King Fluffybuns, but I just couldn't see him taking Toriel and Sans' relationship well. Not with how fixated he was on her for so long. 
> 
> ... 
> 
> We're having fun here, are we not? :)


	3. Gathered Together, Worn and Frayed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaster does what he can to bolster Sans' soul, while Undyne goes to collect Asgore. 
> 
> Also, Asgore has fucked up. Big time. :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long with this chapter. My computer died and I lost all my work. I'm very proud of how this turned out and had a lot of fun writing it. Thanks for all the comments and kudos, everyone! I hope my work lives up to your expectations! :) 
> 
> Oh, and I'm on Tumblr now! If you're wanting updates on my progress and info on when the new chapter is out, please go here: 
> 
> https://abble-chan-blog.tumblr.com/

**ATK 0**

  
  


**DEF 0**

  
  


**HP 00000000000.1/0.3**

  
  


***He didn’t forget you**

"Your results are worse than I could have anticipated." Gaster said as he gently touched Sans' forehead. His nephew lay still and all but lifeless within the gray and black swirling void. He had gotten on his knees in order to take stock of the smaller skeleton's condition. Blank eye sockets stared back at him, devoid of any substance. "I've failed you once again, haven't I?" While long since internalized, the admission carried a sort of heaviness with it. An inescapable finality and a guilt that gnawed at him like a pack of ravenous wolves. He read the Check repeatedly and felt his resolve waver. There was no denying the plan would trample all over his nephew's privacy. Every happy moment, every dark truth, every secret – some of which belonged to another – would be brought to light. Humiliations, mistreatments, nothing would be spared if Sans were to be brought back. But how would Sans feel about his life story being aired out like laundry on a clothesline? Knowing what he knew, Gaster fully believed that Sans would rather let everything die with him. The notion that there would be no going back had Gaster second guessing himself for a moment, but only just. After all, who else would do this if not for him? No other person, monster or mortal, had both the intimate knowledge of skeletal magic and the void's infinite power at their disposal.

No one who would _help_ at any rate.

***He didn't forget you**

"I suppose you will loathe me after this." Gaster continued as he cautiously summoned Sans' soul. It quivered in the air and radiated an unmistakable feeling of fear. "I love you, Sans." He said before bringing forth his own magic. Vivid, swirling purple surrounded the malformed soul in gentle wisps of light. Slowly, gently, he willed it into the familiar shape of a soul. With a lack of mass, however, it looked more like an infant's than an adult's. In that moment, Gaster also knew fear. In fact, he'd never been more afraid in all of his existence. He held complete control over the culmination of Sans' entire being. One false move, one wrong action, and it was all over. The soul and it's body would crumble into dust, or worse, exist as a fragmented mess within the void. Gaster's soul pounded in his ribcage, as if ready to burst out any moment. He watched as it progressed and when satisfied, called upon the bond they'd formed so long ago. Within his mind's eye, Gaster quickly found their chords. His was thick and a deep purple, outlined by grey due to void's influence. Sans' chord, in stark contrast, was pale white and thin as a strand of hair. The chord was far too tight, meaning that it could snap at any second. And if that happened...

...best not to think about it. Gaster instead focused on his good intentions, his love, his goal and their familial bond. The magic resonated deep between them through their connection. Within the mindscape, Gaster summoned ones of similar thickness to Sans' and carefully intertwined them together. The chord trembled much like his soul had. Fear. So much fear. Heavy words shot along their bond and into Gaster's consciousness.

_Alone_

_Worthless_

_Murderer_

_Scared_

_Let me..._

_...die_

Gaster hated himself in that instant. While it wasn't a surprise that Sans felt this way about himself, it still hurt deeply. But thinking about his own failures and regrets wouldn't help. No. His own pity party could come later, once everyone arrived. So Gaster did his best to push any hint of negativity away and only focused on positive emotions and invocations.

_**Bolster** _

_**Protect** _

_**Heal** _

_**Proud...** _

_**...of you** _

_**Love you** _

Surprisingly, he'd only needed three iterations for the fear to melt away. Gaster hadn't expected his presence to be so powerful, especially after being forgotten by so many. And yet...

_Missed you_

_Didn't forget_

_Happy..._

_...you're here_

_Love you_

The warmth and sincerity of Sans' response washed over him, accompanied by a familial love so pure that it almost scorched Gaster's soul. Purple tears welled in his eyes as the process continued.

_**Bolster** _

_Missed you_

_**Protect** _

_Didn't forget_

_**Heal** _

_Happy..._

_**Proud...** _

_**...of you** _

_...you're here_

_**Love you** _

_Love you_

The warmth spread out through Gaster's existence as their magic continued to intertwine and connect. Any regrets or concerns he'd had about the process faded away. This was right. This was important. In that moment, Gaster _knew_ he could do what needed to be done. Regardless of the outcome, Sans _would_ be okay. Thread by thread, he meticulously worked on supporting him. Within their bond, this took the form of his purple threads wrapping around Sans' faint one. Outside that bond, those same threads continued forming around and shaping Sans' soul, until their combined mass was that of a normal monster's. It throbbed and hummed with renewed life, which meant he'd completed the first and most vital part of his plan.

_**Love you** _

_Love you_

After one final affirmation of tenderness, Gaster severed the connection. He smiled softly, opening his good eye socket to admire his work. While it looked more like someone had wrapped glowing rubber bands around an inverted heart than an actual monster's soul, it felt much more stable. Once again, he Checked Sans.

**ATK 0**

  
  


**DEF 0**

  
  


**HP 0.05/0.3**

  
  


***He didn’t forget you**

"Oh, thank heavens!" Mere fractals – no matter how numerous – shouldn't have been such a relief. If any other monster had stats like that, they'd still be in danger of Falling Down. But Sans had always been the exception and never the rule. He'd been an extraordinary young man, and that trait – both blessing and curse – had followed into adulthood. Tears finally slid down Gaster's cheekbones as he coaxed the freshly bolstered soul back into Sans' body. It glowed mostly purple for the time being, but would hopefully become the cyan color that so defined him. Then and only then did Gaster allow himself to drop from the weight of his own emotions. He hugged his nephew close, murmuring praises to a god, any god, that probably didn't exist. They remained huddled together for a while. Could have been seconds, could have been longer. Living outside of reality didn't exactly afford one a good concept of time.

All Gaster knew was that he'd started shaking hard enough to rattle them both. He allowed himself to grieve for him, the way a father might a son in similar circumstances. Grieve because nobody else could or would. Not only did Gaster watch the brothers' struggles and triumphs from within the void, but there'd been a time when he'd actually been _around_ for some of those memories. Until suddenly he wasn't. No one remembered him.

***He didn't forget you.**

No one but Sans.

Sans never forgot _anything_.

In all honesty, he wasn't sure who had the worst lot in life. For while Gaster had been erased from the fabric of reality itself, at least a peace had come with his exile. Sans, meanwhile, had no choice but to survive. Made to live with circumstances beyond control. Forced to adapt to Reset after Reset alone. No one remembering experience with him, any work or progress suddenly erased. Knowing that any happiness obtained could be gone in a second, without any way of stopping it. Enduring the pain of loss over and over again, but unable to confide in anyone. What was the point when it could and would be Reset?

Gaster shuddered and ended the Check.

_I don't think I could have been half as strong as you were, Sans. You're a far better monster than I ever was._ With that depressing thought, he stood up, bringing Sans with him. _At least I can do something for you now, even if you'll despise me for it in the end._

He stared down at the skeleton in his arms once more before moving onto the second phase of his plan – making a comfortable dwelling for the main event. The area needed to be someplace Sans would take comfort in when he woke up. After a bit of contemplation, he set to work. The void shifted and transformed according to his wishes. The ground turned a vibrant and lush green. The "sky" shifting from gray and black swirls to a starry night. The artificial moon bathed the area in soft, beautiful light. Before him was no longer a land of vast nothingness, but a flat spread of long grass. Dots of purple magic flew and hovered like countless fireflies. It was truly a beautiful sight. But Gaster wasn't done yet. The group would need a place to rest. Somewhere comfortable. Boundless magic danced along his fingertips as he willed an array of beanbags, pillows, plush comforters and fluffy quilts for them to lay out and enjoy as they saw fit. The last thing he created was a very large rectangle that hovered in the air, black and swirling with void magic. Like the portal, it was outlined by faint purple. Gaster nodded his approval and smiled.

"This will be more than suitable." He murmured softly, taking a moment to appreciate their new surroundings. He laid his nephew down on the fluffiest blanket there, placed a big, feathery pillow underneath his skull and blanketed him in a velveteen, blue comforter. "There we are. Now you can enjoy your nap in style. Everyone should be here when you wake up."

As of on cue, it was about that moment people started filing in.

First came Papyrus. His expression nervous, as he entered with an air of learned confidence. "Wowie! This is beautiful!" He took a moment to look around before bounding up to his brother. It seemed as if his feet couldn't carry him fast enough, magical exhaustion or no. "Oh Delta! Brother! Thank goodness!" He knelt beside his brother, but didn't touch him. Eye sockets leaking orange, he looked up at Gaster. "Can I...? Is he...?"

Gaster nodded. "He is stable, but in a deep sleep. As long as you are careful, you may touch him."

Papyrus didn't waste any time. He gently, so very delicately, brought Sans in for a hug. After a few moments, he tucked him back in. "His HP... how did you...how did he? He's not healthy, but he's a lot better." He took a deep breath. "So you really are trying to help him? Thank you, Mr. Gaster. Or should I start calling you uncle now?"

"All will be revealed in due time, Papyrus. I promise you that he will be fine, so long as everyone plays their part." Gaster couldn't help but chuckle. "As for what title to give me, call me whatever you wish. You don't remember me, so I doubt you feel a familial closeness to me."

Papyrus nodded and gripped his brother's hand. He looked a bit confused, a touch concerned, but mostly happy. His eye lights glistened brighter than the artificial stars above. "I'll do anything! Whatever it takes! So long as Sans comes back."

Gaster smiled at him before his good eye focused on Toriel and her brood coming in next, with Grillby and Mettaton making repeated trips to bring food and drink. Frisk carried a few small boxes that were wrapped in bright paper, Asriel carried plates and Chara plastic cutlery and trash bags. Toriel wasn't holding anything, but that was likely due to her obvious exhaustion. The former queen, despite having eaten, was still looking worse for wear. The dark circles under her eyes were most prominent. Regardless of her condition, Toriel kept going until she made it over to Sans other side, opposite Papyrus. She stared intently, longingly at her sleeping mate. Perhaps performing a Check of her own. Frisk, after setting down the load in her arms, rushed right behind her. Asriel and Chara were slower going, but the looks on their faces betrayed their own concern.

"D-Dunkle, I'm so sorry! I-I..." Her voice was small and raspy, probably hoarse from crying as much as she had. Chara was beside her, vis expression grim. "I didn't know y-you'd..."

"Me too, Comedian." Ve said with a tired sigh. "We, uh, we put you through a lot, didn't we? Sorry."

Asriel stood behind his mother, peering over at them from afar. "Mr. Sans, um, thank you. Thank you for saving us... and caring for us. I-I don't know what's going on, but please, be okay?"

Gaster felt his nonexistent insides go cold when Frisk reached for Sans' free hand. A small, vindictive part of him was _glad_ the children were taking it hard – though Asriel wasn't near sorry enough, given his part in things. Out of all the people who were going to be part of this, those little brats deserved to be miserable. There was another who was perhaps almost as guilty, but they had yet to arrive. He considered brushing up against the bond that Sans had formed with the vile children. It would be easy enough to do, after all. He'd love to send them a warning, a message that everything they held dear was about to be ripped asunder. And without time and space to manipulate, Frisk couldn't Reset her way out of this situation. What he wouldn't give to see them crumble under the weight of their own guilt -

"Gaster, thank you." Toriel's gentle voice cut across his unkind thoughts. She looked up at him with a sad sort of smile. "I just Checked Sans, and I can see that he's in much better condition now. I apologize for attacking you. Everything was just happening so fast, and I feared he would..." She trailed off with a tired sigh.

The coldness in his heart melted at her words. "He won't. As I've told Papyrus, Sans will recover. So long as we all do our part." He got on his knees again and looked her in the eye. "I Wingdings Gaster, vow on my life, magic and soul to facilitate his recovery." A wave of magic pulsed through the air, washing over everyone before harmlessly dissipating into nothingness. The vow surged in his soul. The ancient invocation was set in stone. Even if he wanted to, there was no going back.

Another finality, albeit less bleak.

**~()~**

It was a lovely night outside. The kind of evening Undyne would've loved to be out partying in. Driving through the city in Toriel's bulky mom van, she caught glimpses of humans and monsters roaming the streets. They smiled and laughed and talked without a care in the world, living up their hopes and dreams. It made her heart swell with pride every time she went out. She'd made it. They'd made it. _Everyone_ made it. All the dust, sweat and tears. All the sacrifices in the name of freedom. Countless days dreaming of and working for a war that never came. Years of dedicated service had ultimately amounted to nothing. It was better that way, after all. No fighting meant no death. No death meant that more people and monsters got to experience this new golden age of peace and prosperity.

At least, that's what Undyne had thought, up until she'd started training at the police academy. There, she'd learned all kinds of undesirable truths about the surface. Many drugs and other illegal substances were more harmful than the Underground's dog treats and glimmerdust. Murders, abuse of all kinds, prostitution, abduction, arson and so much more tended to happen with greater frequency. There were a lot of homeless people, which often turned them to previously mentioned illegal drugs. There were many, many things that could be considered crimes. Humanity had a real capacity for hurting others, more so than monsters. Not that it wasn't possible for them, mind, but the Underground held an air of innocence and empathy that the surface seemed to lack. Sometimes, it was hard for her to keep a positive after exposure to so many horrific things.

Among the worst things she'd seen was a double homicide-suicide that involved a woman, her husband and an affair partner. Unlike monsters, humans didn't turn to dust after death. Corpses were left behind, husks of the individuals who'd once lived. Blood and brain matter had coated the walls and pooled on the ground below. Worse yet, there'd been a small child in the room. The three-year-old girl's wailing still haunted her to this day. Something about that particular scene had devastated Undyne for nearly a month, even with Alphys' unconditional support.

So really, she shouldn't have been surprised when Sans had been a target of violence. While most humans seemed to be more open and accepting than in the past, it wasn't a secret that there were still bigoted pieces of filth running around. Especially among those who commit crimes. And among any monster – aside from a Moldsmal or a Whimsun – Sans would be an ideal target. Small and vulnerable. A short, lazy skeleton. Always smiling, walking with a slow gait and laid back attitude. He didn't _look_ strong. He didn't _act_ like a threat. And since monsters dusted, why not kill him? There wouldn't be any evidence to connect them to a crime. The kids' vague description wasn't enough to go off of – those bastards weren't going to be found anytime soon. Knowing all of those factors should've made the situation easier to work through. And yet...

And yet...

And yet she'd frozen. She'd stood there in shocked silence while Papyrus held his dying brother. Toriel had been asking the questions and Alphys was the one who'd figured out what needed to be done. While Undyne had eventually snapped out of her stupor for Papyrus' sake, she'd failed to act in her capacity as an officer. Everything just happened too quickly. Thinking about it pissed her off to no end! What happened to Captain Undyne, Head of the Royal Guard? Where had Officer Undyne, Protector of Ebott City gone? She'd felt utterly powerless then, unable to do a freaking thing for someone she'd gotten to know beyond being Papyrus' brother. It burned her up inside, angered her, to know how useless she'd been! Perhaps that's why she'd agreed to go and fetch Asgore when an hour had passed with him ignoring their calls and texts.

At least she'd be able to do something useful.

Once out of the city limits, Undyne all but slammed her foot down on the gas and going well above the speed limit. Not that anyone would be patrolling the back roads leading to Mt. Ebott. With her window rolled down, the wind blew her hair back. The air was a bit cooler and had a nice, clean scent to it. Undyne breathed it in as she pushed the pedal down faster. 60Mph. 70. 80. 90. No matter how fast she went, it just wasn't enough. They should've gotten Asgore sooner instead of dithering around and waiting for him to pick up the damn phone! Sans was in the clutches of some weird creep who'd said he could help, but it wasn't like anyone knew a thing about the guy! Some weirdo who'd come out of Sans' soul and jumped through a strange hole in the wall! Who the fuck does tha-

**SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**

The van came to a stop as she arrived at Asgore's humble little cottage. Soul racing in her chest, she quickly let go of the steering wheel, fingers stiff from gripping it so tightly. Deep breaths. Slow breaths. Undyne closed her eyes and exhaled in. Then out. Alphys warned her that their story was going to be hard enough to believe without her running up to him and screaming like a lunatic. So as much as she wanted to immediately run up and drag him out, she worked on keeping a level head. In. Out. In. Out. She decided she was calm enough after several minutes and quickly bolted from the vehicle. She marched up to his door with clenched fists, trying to ignore the odd rush of energy making her soul flutter. The cute cottage perfectly suited Asgore. There were many colorful flowers planted along the sides of both the path and the home itself. Smoke billowed out the chimney and light could be seen from a crack behind lime green curtains. She smiled faintly in spite of the situation. It had been a while since she'd seen the king. Both of them had been bogged down by work that kept them busy – the Embassy slept just as little as Ebott City's mean streets, after all. Maybe once this mess was over, they could start hanging out more. Undyne entertained the thought as she knocked. A couple minutes went by without a response, so she knocked again.

And again.

And again,

And again.

After ten minutes of absolute nothing, her first instinct was to worry. It was more an Alphys-like response, but after Sans had nearly dusted, the idea that Asgore could have didn't seem implausible. Her calm façade vanished as she started beating on the slab of wood like it owed her money.

"Asgore! Asgore, are you in there? Open up!"

Nothing.

"Hey, are you okay in there?"

Nada.

"Open up! Come on, it's me! Undyne!"

Zilch.

"NYAAAAAAAAH! FUCK THIS!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, frustration and desperation taking over as minutes trickled by so painfully slow. For some reason, he wasn't responding. Either Asgore was ignoring her – which, why the hell would he – or the unthinkable happened. Her soul lurched unpleasantly at the thought, so she kicked the door down with all her might. The offending obstacle hit the floor and cracked, too broken to do it's job. She then stormed in without hesitation and looked around the combined kitchen/living room area. To her immerse relief, there didn't seem to be a hint of dust, let alone no foul play. No weapons, no haphazardly dropped clothes, no signs of a struggle. "ASGORE! ASGORE, ARE YOU IN HERE?" She bellowed, while making her way to the narrow hallway. Lone eye peeled for the first sign of danger. "ASGORE, ANSWER ME DAMN YOU! YOU BETTER BE SLEEPING, YOU OLD GOAT!" Undyne didn't even bother opening doors – there wasn't time! One by one one, she kicked down the bathroom, bedroom and storage room doors. Helpless, the lot of them.

In each room, however, she failed to locate Asgore or his remains. Or any signs of foul play. She gnashed her pointed teeth and did another sweep of the cabin just to be sure. Still no signs of life... or death. A large clock on the wall told her it was well past one in the morning. Meaning her search had taken a half-hour of time they _didn't have_. Who knows what could be happening to Sans and the others while she fruitlessly searched for Asgore? What if he really and dusted and she wasn't looking hard en-

"Undyne? What are you doing here?" Asgore asked as he entered from the back door – the only one that survived her frenzied kicking spree. His arms were folded and eyes narrowed in irritation. "And why did you feel the need to break down my doors?"

Though Undyne knew she was in for a stern talking to, a feeling of immense relief overwhelmed her. She couldn't help but laugh as she sprinted forward and gave him a big hug. "Thank friggin' Delta you're alright!" Pinpricks of tears gathered at her good eye. "Fuck, Asgore! I thought you'd dusted on me or something!"

The King of All Monsters stood still and was silent for a moment, before returning her embrace as well. "Oh my! I'm so sorry I scared you. I just thought you were angry at me for not attending Sans' party – I'd told Toriel that I wasn't interested in going, but she kept insisting I be there."

Undyne stiffened and jerked back from him, her happiness instantly soured. "Wait! So you've been ignoring our calls because _you don't want to be at his party_?" A white-hot lick of frustration ran along her soul. "We've been freaking calling you for an hour, you big jerk! You could've at least picked up the phone and made sure things were okay!"

The smile slid off his face in an instant and Undyne found herself completely taken aback by how cold his expression had become. "And are they? Is everything alright?"

"No, it's not! Sans, he-"

"It's about him, forget it." He cut her off with a low, rumbling growl. "I refuse to play nice just because he wants my friendship. He doesn't get that, no matter how hard Toriel begs in his place."

"..." Undyne found herself speechless in the face of this new, bitter side to Asgore she hadn't seen before. He crossed his arms, a scowl spread across his face. It was as if the mere thought of Sans was enough to anger him. And maybe it was. "What would you say if I told you he was dying? What then?" She glared up at him, precious magic gathering in her blind eye. She held back a cry of pain as it cracked and popped. She didn't have much to go on.

He returned her expression with one just as fierce. One eye glowing blue, the other orange. She could feel his magic ripple and surge in the air, roaring with pent-up rage waiting to be unleashed. "Then I'd say too bad. I wouldn't donate an ounce of magic to that _traitor_ if he were an inch from death."

Undyne wasn't even aware that she'd summoned a spear until it was in her hand. It pulsed with her intent, her wavering power. Her desire to make him take those awful words back. And though Asgore lacked his crown and spear, he looked rather menacing with fire magic gathered in his paws. She steeled herself as Papyrus came to mind. Poor, poor Papyrus. How he'd wept while holding his brother. His morose helplessness, how empty those eye sockets had looked. She thought of Toriel, a grieving girlfriend who might as well be a wife with how ragged she'd ran herself. About the children who, regardless of their secrets, were utterly distraught and devastated. Then she thought of Sans, whom had put himself in harms way in spite of low HP to save those children. Sans, whose soul looked more like a battered wife's than his own. Sans... whom had been abducted. How powerless she'd been to stop it.

"Take it back. Now." She demanded gruffly. Her body began to ache and feel overdrawn. The spear flickering in and out of existence as she struggled to keep it with her. She was pushing herself too far, but that wouldn't stop her.

"..." He stood there, resolute. "I think you need to leave, Undyne. You must have been drinking too much if your magic is so low. You can barely maintain _one spear_. How can you expect to fight against me in your condition?"

"I'm not leaving until you come with me! Sans needs you for fuck's sake!"

Grey, thick smoke escaped the king's nose. "No. I've told you and I've told Toriel that I don't care about Sans! I'm not apologizing and I'm not going anywhere near that wife-stealing pile of b-"

"HE SAVED YOUR KIDS, YOU FUCKING UNGRATEFUL PRICK!"

Asgore froze.

Undyne froze.

The room went deathly quiet.

Seconds stretched out into what felt like eternity as they stared at each other. Undyne's spear vanished instantly, as did Asgore's fire magic. The glow in their eyes faded as well. The anger slid off his expression as something else took hold. Shock at first, then horror. "I-I beg your pardon?"

"He saved them a few hours ago." She said, looking anywhere but at him. "There were some thugs who wanted to mug them and Sans... he protected them. He got hurt in the process and teleported them home." She took deep, shaking breaths, willing herself not to break down now. Not after such a heated conversation between them. Vivid images flitted across her mind.

_"P-Paps...T-Tori...l-lo-"_

_Sans' limp and prone body._

_Papyrus weeping and clutching his body._

_Sans' broken, deformed soul._

_Gaster._

Asgore looked down at the floor, his head lowered in a show of what she assumed to be shame. A shaking hand trailed up to his mouth as he backed away a half-step. Then another. "He was hurt? But he only has one HP... that means you weren't lying about him..."

"Used to. He _used_ to only have one. It's a lot lower now." Undyne told him somberly. "I, uh, I don't know what's going on with him, but it's got to be bad. His soul is _deformed_ Asgore. He's been... harmed. Harmed real bad. I don't think being hit with a gun was enough to..." She felt horribly sick while imagining the kind of suffering that would turn a soul into something almost unrecognizable. How long had it been going on? Who hurt him? Why hadn't anyone done something sooner?

_Why didn't I notice? I'm a cop, dammit! I should know more than anyone else what... what abuse looks like. I should've put the pieces together. I failed. I failed him. I failed Papyrus. I failed everyone._

"I know you don't like him right now, but he needs help. Please, Asgore, I know it's a lot to ask..."

"..." Asgore sighed, his body slumped. "I'm sorry, Undyne. I had no idea. I... I'll help you. It's the least I can do."

She gave him a small, wavering chuckle. While she still wasn't over his behavior, she was grateful to have gotten through his thick skull. "Heh. Thanks. Let's go, I'll explain everything on the way."

~()~

Mettaton didn't know what he was doing here.

While he liked and appreciated Sans, he wasn't _that_ close to the punny skeleton. The two of them were business partners and slight friends at best. Just barely past being acquaintances. They didn't hang out a lot outside of MTT Resort and most conversation was relegated to light topics. Nothing heavy, personal or real. In spite of this, Alphys had invited him to join in the festivities, maybe even help out if he felt so inclined. And while decorating for a birthday party was normally beneath him, he'd owed it to Alphys to help out. Admittedly, it had been a fun and quaint experience. He'd enjoyed working on the decorations and, as the day progressed, looked forward to the wholesome fun that had been promised. And then...

And then _that_ happened.

Mettaton had been in utter shock when Frisk and Asriel's voices screamed for help. Even more so when Papyrus opened the door and found Sans on the verge of dusting. Poor Chara had gone a sickly white as ve held him in ver arms. After that, things had happened in a blur of screaming, crying and desperation. Having no ability to access green magic, Mettaton stayed in the background and did what he could do. Things such as volunteering to grab whatever Alphys needed from her lab, or simply being there to support the devastated children. What started out as a wonderful event turned into hours of turmoil as everyone worked hard to keep Sans stable enough to be Checked. At one point, Grillby had asked why he couldn't just do it himself.

_"In cases like these, when emotions are high, a simple Check could accidentally trigger a F-Fight. I-If that were t-to happen... I d-don't th-think Sans c-could hold out. E-even though I know y-y-you wouldn't Attack him. It's j-just too much of a risk. But a machine c-c-can't feel or express emotion. I-it can't t-t-trigger a Fight by itself, either. But even n-now, S-Sans is t-t-too unstable."_

And so, hours of healing had come to pass. Grueling, terrible work. Mettaton felt guilty sitting around and watching as the four healers in the room exhausted themselves in vain hopes of helping Sans Get Up. He didn't care that he was supposed to leave for Paris in the morning. It didn't matter that they weren't having fun, or that he'd been shoved into the background. Over the course of that day, the monster celebrity learned that the world didn't _always_ revolve around him. He turned those feelings of guilt into something productive when he realized no one else was considering Frisk, Chara and Asriel. The other adults were all focused on Sans – and rightfully so – but none of them were tending to three children who were obviously traumatized. Frisk had become a sobbing mess, Chara morose and grim. And Asriel? Try as he might to go between comforting his siblings, he was also distraught. Occasionally bursting into fits of crying himself. So, their care had fallen to him. Even though they – especially Frisk – were inconsolable. All in all, the experience was as humbling as it was terrifying. Never before had Mettaton felt so utterly helpless in a situation. It certainly wasn't a feeling he wanted to repeat.

Even so, the robot found himself of little help in this strange place. Sure, he and Grillby could bring in food and other goods, but the fact remained that he wasn't family to any of these people. He didn't have the right to stand alongside them. So, Mettaton did what he'd become accustomed to during this experience. He remained in the background. Silent, dutiful, ready to help as needed. They were in a strange place with the enigma that was Gaster, who'd claimed to be the former Royal Scientist. He watched as the strange skeleton hugged Toriel and Papyrus. Listened as he vowed on his soul and magic that Sans' recovery would be _facilitated_. Not that he'd be responsible, mind. Just that he would endeavor to make it possible. Something about that didn't sit well with Mettaton. It felt like the same manipulative language he'd used when hiring employees. There were fine details not being spoken, details that could literally mean life or death here.

And then, there was that _look_. Maybe he'd just been paranoid, but Mettaton was almost sure he'd seen a very nasty gleam in Gaster's good eye socket back in the living room. There was a lack of sincerity when he smiled at Asriel and answered his question. A thinly veiled contempt for the boy, which didn't make sense. What vendetta could he possibly have against an innocent _child_? At first, Mettaton figured he'd been imagining things. But then, it happened a second time. When Frisk had ran up and held Sans' hand, Gaster did the same thing. Only... there was something more intense about the way he honed in on her. It scared Mettaton, but with the vow in place, he wasn't truly sure if there was something to be worried about or not...

"I don't like this one bit." Grillby said in all but a whisper. "This Gaster fellow is far too suspicious."

"You're telling me, darling."

"Yeah. Something just isn't right about him. The guy claims to be Sans' and Papyrus' uncle, but I've never met him. And I lived with them in Snowdin for _years_. Sans' soul reacts positively to him, but he never even mentioned him once." Grillby popped a piece of coal into his mouth, flames crackling with a new ferocity. "Then there's the way he came out of Sans' soul. Not to mention just running off with him. No, no. Something isn't right here."

Mettaton crossed his arms. "What should we do?"

A line of blue flame danced along the fire elemental's face, taking the shape of a smile. "We watch and wait. Keep our guard up at all times. The others aren't being objective here, though I can't say I blame them."

"So it falls to us?"

"Precisely."

"Well, isn't that fabulous? Looks like we have our work cut out for us." Mettaton found himself smiling, a new feeling of appreciation for someone he'd only met a handful of times before today.

_\- - - - - -_

Things slowed down after their newly formed alliance. Rather than being on the sidelines and feeling helpless about it, Mettaton was emboldened by his new goal. Because no matter how small, it meant that he could contribute in a meaningful way. Papyrus settled on one side of his brother, while Toriel and the children did so on the other. Frisk had gone from holding Sans' hand to cuddling with him. Chara had taken to picking blades of grass, sitting in a curled position. Asriel, meanwhile, tried to focus on the "natural" beauty around him. He'd laid back on the grass and seemed focused on the stars, occasionally spouting off little facts that Sans must have told him. Toriel smiled down at her son and pat him on the head, likely appreciating the distraction from the doom and gloom – or so Mettaton assumed. Gaster, meanwhile, kept coming and going. Said something about "reinforcing the parameters of the area", whatever that meant.

At one point, he and Grillby decided it was safe to move in close, but they made sure not to crowd the troubled family. Rather than stand around, he opted to pass out food and drink to everyone in the room. Even used his fire magic to warm their meals. The food did look rather tasty and Mettaton wished he had the ability to sample what had been so lovingly prepared. But a lack of senses meant that he couldn't enjoy any of it. He'd considered leaving his body for a taste... only to remember that ghosts can't interact with solid objects.

Alas.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed in relative peace. Word had gotten around that Sans' HP had shot up significantly, which brought levity to the situation. Things were still tense, but at least the worst was over. And eventually...

"NYAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! EAT SHIT, YOU FRIGGIN' WEIRDO!"

...Undyne burst through the portal, spear in hand despite obvious exhaustion. She looked worse than Toriel had, with dark circles under her eye and and sweat trickling down her brow. A zip of light blue darted past Mettaton and darted straight for Gaster, whom was discussing something with Papyrus. Everyone gasped, startled as it raced toward the strange skeleton... only for it to fade out of existence before getting anywhere close.

"Undyne!" Alphys cried out, running as fast as her stubby legs would carry her. Asgore rushed to her side, hands glowing with green magic. Nearly everyone began rushing over to them, ready to help her at a moment's notice. That helpless feeling returned as they crowded around her. Alphys stared with wide, tearful eyes as she gazed upon her fainted girlfriend. "Oh stars, oh Delta, oh no, oh no, nononono! I-I tried to s-s-stop her, b-but sh-she, I-I, it's my fault!" Seeing that she was on the verge of a bad anxiety attack, Mettaton bolted over to her and knelt down.

"Alphys, honey, breathe." He said while bringing her into a hug. "She's probably just worn out from all that healing. Undyne will be fine." She took loud, deep breaths, her body trembling. Sweat dropping down the side of her forehead. "It's not your fault. It's not _anyone's_ fault."

"B-but I-"

"Hush. No buts. There's nothing you could've done to stop her."

"But Sans! If I'd done more -"

" _No_. Definitely not. Don't start blaming yourself for that, either. You did amazing under pressure, Alphys!" He pulled her off a bit, so he could meet her line of sight. The poor dear looked on the verge of a nervous breakdown – not that she'd be the first. There had been a lot of that going around today. "You acted right away, got us organized.... you found us a good place to start." He smiled softly at her.

"Mettaton is right, Alphys!" Papyrus said, as he too knelt down to be with her. "Your quick thinking helped us get my brother stable! And we all know Undyne is the coolest and strongest monster around – second only to yours truly, of course! She worked hard. We all did. Under your orders, no less!" He joined them in the embrace, sounding a lot like his old self. "My brother is lucky to have you in his corner! I'm proud to call you my friend."

"R-Really?" Alphys murmured, looking up at him with the air of a scared child. "Y-you m-mean th-that?"

Papyrus's grin spread wider. "The Great Papyrus is always honest! Nyeh-heh-heh! So you would not be mistaken to put your trust in me! You are one of the coolest people I know." Alphys clung to Papyrus as if her life depended on it, sobbing into his scarf. Mettaton joined in the embrace, wishing that he too could cry. Instead, he locked eyes with Papyrus and was struck by how selfless he was being. He'd seen how badly the skeleton had crumbled when Sans almost died. How lifeless and bleak he'd appeared to be. And yet, he'd sprung into action to help Alphys feel better. Something about that bit of selflessness made his soul flutter just a little lighter. After what felt like a long time, she finally stopped crying and moved to leave the hug. She looked up at the two of them with a shy smile.

"Th-thank you. S-sorry I lost it there f-f-for a bit."

"It's more than alright, darling." Mettaton said. "We've all lost it at one point or another. That's the kind of night this is."

"They're right, you know." Asgore said in a gentle tone, smiling directly at her. He looked tired, but not as if he'd just exhausted himself. Undyne slept peacefully on the ground beside him, her pallor back to normal blueness. "I chose you as my scientist for a reason, Alphys. You're very intelligent, sweet and altruistic. You care about others so much. Just be sure that you take care of yourself as well." He sighed. "As for what kind of night this is, Undyne told me everything, but I wasn't sure what to believe. It all sounded so crazy..."

"And yet here we are." Chara said with a smile that didn't reach ver eyes. "In the heart of crazy town. Or something."

"Yeah, you're telling me." Asriel chimed in, stifling a yawn. "This has been a really, really bad day."

"Yes, I suppose it has been..." Frisk agreed, speaking up for the first time in a good while. 

"It seems as if the lot of you have reached your limits." Gaster said after a long, uncomfortable pause. He walked over to them, black coat flapping in a breeze that had come suddenly. A bony hand appeared out of nowhere and snapped it's fingers. The portal disappeared. "Today has been hard on you all to be sure. I know there are many questions that must be answered, but there's no point in discussion until everyone has had adequate rest. I need you at full health if you're going to SAVE Sans." He then titled his head and looked at Asgore with the same, false smile he'd looked at Asriel with earlier. "Why hello, _Your Highnes_ _s_. So glad you've finally decided to grace us with your presence." He bowed exaggeratedly. "I do hope I've accommodated you well. Only the best for royalty."

Asgore frowned, his expression serious. "Ah, you must be this Gaster fellow Undyne told me so much about. Tell me, what was the point in abducting Sans? Why are you playing games when you claim to care about his wellbeing?"

Gaster lifted his head and laughed. "That's _rich_ coming from you, _King Fluffybuns_. Funny how little you cared about his life, up until you heard how he protected your children." He stood up straight, the smile sliding right off his face. "Then again, maybe your opinion of him has changed? Perhaps you're hoping he'll come in and die at _just the right time_! Maybe then, he could _repay you_ for the crime of _stealing your woman_!"

"What are you talking about? I would never-"

Gaster's expression twisted into something grotesque and hateful. "'I wouldn't donate an ounce of magic to that _traitor_ if he were an inch from death.' Those were your words, yes?"

"Wh-what? But how? I-" Asgore's eyes widened in utmost shock.

"I, and this place, are beyond space and time _._ You can't hide what's in your pathetic little soul, _old friend._ " He took a deep breath and that awful smile returned once more. "Now then, I suggest everyone rest up. Tomorrow will be a busy day." He bowed to Asgore a final time. "I hope you sleep especially well, considering the sins crawling along your backside."

And with that, he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup. Asgore really messed up. Gaster is PISSED. 
> 
> We'll get to explore Sans' life story next chapter. Already have a segment written for it. I hope this hasn't been too long-winded for you all. :)


	4. Of Pride, Faith and Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We have some more feels, Asgore is in the dog house... 
> 
> ...and we finally meet Sans' parents. This memory mostly focuses on his dad, though. :)

Chara dreamed.

_Blood on gold tiles._

_Determination vs Justice._

_Hatred vs Patience._

_A Demon vs. The Judge._

_Anticipation filled ver with jittery Determination as they stood there, newly restored after another Load. Stolen heart thumping, hands clenched around the all-important knife. At a superficial level, that damn prankster looked calm and lackadaisical. But Chara knew their favorite toy so very well. Sweat trickled down his forehead. His smile was far too wide, to the point that his jawline creaked. He wore a familiar, tattered scarf around his neck. There were patches of white on it._

_Dust._

_"Hmm. That expression... that's the expression of someone who died ten times in a row. Hey, congrats on the big one-oh!" Sans said, no trace of animosity in his voice. He clapped and the grating sound of bone scraping bone echoed through out the hall. Frisk flinched within ver. There was an almost enthusiastic quality to the way he spoke, as if it were Chara's birthday or something. "Let's invite all your friends over for a big shindig! We can have pie, hotdogs, spaghetti and..." The smile still lingered but the eye lights in his sockets vanished. "Hm... something's not right."_

_**CREEEEEEEEE!** _

_Four of those freaky skull things appeared at once. With a slight twitch of fingers on his left hand, they began to circle around ver. Their massive maws glowed with cyan magic as darkness overtook the Judgement Hall. Within the darkness was an explosion of light that forced Chara to shield ver eyes._

_They were Fighting again._

_"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot – you don't have any friends. Silly me." He let out a low, haunting laugh that terrified Frisk. Animosity coated his words, giving them a nasty, loving caress._

_Chara gripped the knife's hilt tightly, eager to see how this would play out. They'd spent so long trying to get here and wanted to savor every reaction. Every possibility. Chara planned on learning every little trick secret and move. Ve would break the skeleton's will until there was nothing left. That, of course, would take time – of which they had plenty. "I think you're the silly one, Sansy~! It's not as if you have any friends yourself. Not when all you've got is an empty restaurant and a dusty scarf to hold dear!" Frisk pleaded, begged for Chara to stop, but her pathetic whimpering went ignored._

_The skulls growled, waiting for the command to fire. Seconds passed slowly as Sans shambled forward, his magical eye flashing between cyan and yellow. With hands in his pockets and scarf flowing behind him, the Judge looked like a hero from one of Alphys' and Undyne's anime shows. Too bad they couldn't be here to see it firsthand. Hm... now that's food for thought. Maybe in another Reset --_

_Something miraculous happened when their gazes met._

_Sans. Stopped. Smiling._

_"Oh, what's wrong, Sansy? Did I **brother** you? It's not my fault you're **Sans a sibling**!" Chara cackled as the skeleton's expression morphed into something that rivaled ver worst one. He took another step closer, mere inches and the four blasters separating them. "Face it, you're all alone! You're powerless to stop me! So long as I stay Determined, you'll never see him – or anyone else – ever again! I'm in control, you worthless pile of bones!" _

_Sans smiled and winked. "Wow. Kid, you've got issues. And here I was, wanting to plan a party for ya. Celebrate this little milestone of yours in style. I mean, dying once is hard enough. It takes a lot of nerve to do it more." He shrugged. "Well, I still got ya a gift. Sorry I didn't wrap it." He took out a hand and snapped his fingers. In an instant, Chara was consumed by magic and pain. Seconds melded into eternity as ver and Frisk screamed out. Frisk was in utter agony, while Chara reveled in the feeling of bone and flesh being vaporized, until all that remained was their shared soul._

_**Crack!** _

_**Crack!** _

_**Crack!** _

_"Aw, buddy. You really like it, don'tcha? You really **went to pieces**." _

_**FAILURE** _

_Continue?_

_> Yes >No _

_> Yes _

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Instead of being returned to the hall, Chara found verself on their porch, tears streaming down ver face as ve held Sans' dying body. Only this time, fragments of bone were starting to disintegrate. Fear gripped the child's soul as he looked up at her with blank sockets._

_"Sans! Sans, no! Plea-"_

_Suddenly_ _, Sans changed into Toriel. "You wretched child...it was them I was protecting. Not... you..."_

_"Mom! Mom, I'm sorry! I-"_

_Toriel turned into Undyne. "Too late for that, kid! But – urk – don't worry. This world will live on!"_

_"Undyne, I didn't -"_

_Undyne turned into Papyrus. "Human... I... I can't believe in you."_

_Papyrus turned to dust._

_\- - - - -_

"I'm sorry!" Chara cried out suddenly. Ve sat up suddenly, heart frantically beating in vis chest. For several moments, ve couldn't do anything but sit there as horrible mental images came rushing back. 

_Judgement Hall._

_Red and gold._

_Demon._

_Judge._

_Front porch._

_Sans dusting._

_Toriel, dusting._

_Undyne, melting._

_Papyrus... dust._

Chara gripped vis head tightly, eyes screwed shut. The images flashed faster and faster, heartbeat skyrocketing as it continued. The anxiety, dread and guilt were almost suffocating. "Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!" The sour flavor of stomach acid rose to vis throat and burned, but all Chara could do was apologize over and over again. Apologize for the countless deaths. All the pain caused. Every betrayal caused by those twisted feelings. "S-sorry... sorry..."

A hand rested on vis shoulder. "Chara?"

"S-sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Arms pulled her in close. Human arms wearing a blue sweater with purple stripes. Only, one of the sleeves had rolled up a little, and Chara saw the start of what ve knew to be scars. Old, jagged scars with a terrible story behind them. But that didn't matter in the moment. Ve allowed verself to be hugged and held.

"It's alright, Chara. You're having a nightmare. Remember what Sans always says?"

"Nightmares aren't real. Th-the Demon isn't real. I-I'm not them."

"Yeah, that's right. The Demon isn't real. You're Chara. My sibling, my dear friend. You're strong, brave and very cool." Frisk kissed vis cheek. Chara gave a weak laugh, but felt a warmness thrum along their bond. 

"Ha. I don't know about that. If anyone's cool, it's Papyrus."

"Yeah, guess you're right. Guess that means we're both dorks."

"Eh, I can live with that."

"Me too."

"..." 

"..." 

"Hey fellow dork, you up for a walk? I've got something I wanna talk about."

\- - - - -

"So, uh, what do you think about all this?" Chara asked Frisk. They'd decided to walk around and explore the area. It was a wasted effort – there wasn't much to see beyond the flat, grassy plains for miles around. All they had was a night sky with stars and a moon. No trees. No birds. No bugs, unless one counted the purple dots that floated around. They were kind of like fireflies. Camp was still visible from a distance and it looked as if no one else had woken up. Toriel and Papyrus were still sleeping on either side of Sans, while Alphys and Undyne cuddled at his feet. Asriel slept beside their mom, burrowed into her chest. Grillby and Mettaton had slept a little ways away, attempting to act as a buffer between them and Asgore.

_"'I wouldn't donate an ounce of magic to that traitor if he were an inch from death.' Those were your words, yes?"_

_"Wh-what? But how? I-"_

Never before had Chara felt such shame when thinking of him. The man was a bumbling fool, but an endearing one that meant well. He'd been the embodiment of goodness and sacrifice. The deaths of those other six children had been a necessity in Chara's eyes. It had to be done to free all monsters. Without those souls, everyone would still be Underground. As king, that's what Asgore had to do. He put his people first, before the human society that banished them so long ago. Before Toriel, even. Chara understood this, therefore could never truly hate him. But in that moment, ve had seem a different side to him. One that couldn't be forgotten.

_"You didn't really say that, did you?"_

_"Asriel..."_

_"Dad, please tell me that Mr. Gaster was lying! You'd never s-s-say that...right?"_

_"..."_

_"Perhaps Mr. Gaster was misled! Surely that is the case. Right, Asgore?" Papyrus asked, his grin a little too wide. His voice a little too cheerful._

_"..."_

_"Asgore?" The taller skeleton brother all but wilted, his voice so soft. So very stricken. Like a small puppy that was kicked unexpectedly._

_"..." The look on Asgore's face had said it all._

A thrill of cold despair flowed like ice through Chara's veins. Though brief, the memory of everyone's reactions had been burned into vis brain. Asriel's betrayal and hurt. Alphys' shock. Papyrus' heartbroken expression. Grillby and Mettaton's scorn. Toriel's utter revulsion and contempt. Frisk's silent, trembling figure. Asgore hadn't even tried to explain himself, but his silence was guilt enough...

"I'm not really sure." Frisk's soft, sad voice cut across vis thoughts. "A lot happened. I mean, I'm glad Sans isn't dead and that we have a chance to SAVE him. I'm grateful that G-Gaster helped him, and that he protected us. But..." She scratched at her left wrist, the one that was scarred. "But I, w-we've seen his soul before, haven't we? It's never looked that bad...right?"

Chara thought for a moment, then shook vis head. Thought over the many, many times they'd managed to watch Sans dust, despite him trying to get away. Ve ignored the crushing guilt that came with remembering and focused only on the shape of Sans' soul. "No, it didn't. It was cracked, but that's it. And most of it wasn't gone. It definitely wasn't a weird blob shape."

"Right. So, I was thinking... what if he... what if it's because..."

"You think he lied?" Ve continued when she couldn't. Frisk bit her bottom lip and looked away. "Yeah, me too." Chara sucked in a breath and exhaled. "I can't say I'm surprised. We – I – did a lot of things. _Horrible_ things. He had one chance and took it."

"I guess... but still! He promised us! He said it would be okay! That we'd be together and happy and -" Frisk stopped mid-sentence, looking on the verge of another breakdown. Chara sighed and brought her in for a hug.

"Hey, hey, don't start falling to pieces now, sis. He's not dead, you know? As weird and creepy as that Gaster fellow is, he's bound himself to his word. We're going to fix this, no matter what. We just have to stay Determined." Frisk nodded into Chara's chest, though she hardly seemed better than before. She wasn't crying or shaking, at the very least. Now it was Chara's turn to comfort Frisk for a while, just as she'd done earlier. Hugs. Gentle words. A soothing presence. This continued for a time, until Chara noticed that people were starting to get up. "Hey, Frisk?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we should head back. People are getting up."

"Oh, okay."

A sudden, inexplicable feeling of dread washed over ver just then. 

~()~

Though there was no morning sun, Asriel felt as if he'd slept a thousand years. He bolted up, full of energy. Nervous energy. The events of last night weighed heavily on his soul. Everything from the mugging, to Mr. Sans nearly dying... and then his dad. Asgore. The King of all Monsters. He was the one Asriel admired most. The strongest monster around, and kindest too. He was as Merciful as he was cool. Better than any anime or cartoon superhero! Sure, he was a bit dorky, but his dad lived unashamedly as himself. How could Asriel not admire his old man? And yet...

_"Asgore?"_

_"..."_

...and yet he couldn't get that look out of his face. The one Asgore bore when Papyrus had asked after him. Right then Asriel felt as if he'd lost his hero. The pedestal he'd held his dad on had crumbled away. The fall out had been quite awful, as one would expect. Though there wasn't any yelling or screaming. Everyone just sort of stood there for a bit, before Toriel guided him and his siblings to bed. The look she'd given Asgore was positively _scathing._ Asriel remembered it had taken a long time to fall asleep. As to how much time actually passed? Well, there was no way of knowing. It looked like nighttime, but it didn't _feel_ like it. Then again, the whole area had an unsettling quality to it. A subtle pressure. And if Asriel focused hard enough, he could see swirls of grey and black just beyond the horizon. Between his father's fall from grace and the crazy series of events that brought them here, Asriel had no idea what was going on. Perhaps that's' why he stayed close to his mother when mostly everyone gathered to eat. Grillby had brought a burger and fries to Asgore, but threw the plate on the ground and spilled half the fries in the process.

Asgore looked over at them with a sad, tired expression.

Rather than acknowledge him, Asriel turned away.

_Dad..._

~()~

From a personal bubble within the void, Gaster watched over his guests. He'd gleaned a terrible, wonderful satisfaction from witnessing the fallout from his bombshell. The children avoided Asgore. Papyrus refused to meet his eye. Grillby and Mettaton kept him away from the others. Grillby even fired a _warning shot_ at one point. When Undyne had woken up, she was the only one who remained civil toward Asgore, but only just. She seemed to be having a difficult time processing her emotions. And Toriel? Her reaction was everything he could have hoped for! The sheer disgust, the utter hatred in her eyes! It was lovely how she could cut that royal toerag down without uttering a single word. Throwing Asgore's words back at him had been a petty blow, but an effective one.

Then, there were the children themselves to consider. Asriel seemed far removed from the same inner turmoil that Chara and Frisk were harboring. This made sense, given the nature of secrets and sacrifices made on his behalf. The two humans, however, didn't have that same luxury. The duo remembered the atrocities committed Underground and the promises Sans had made while cleaning up their mess. With a grin. That same, strained grin when he took on another burden. Soon, very soon, the trio would be forced to see that their actions had consequences. The blood – er, dust – was still on their hands. It was galling how naive the trio had been. Honestly, the signs were right in front of them! Ah well, that hardly mattered.

_The time for reparations is here. Whatever happens, Asgore, you and those hellspawn brats will reap what you've sown._

His gaze shifted over to Papyrus, whom was sitting next to his brother. From what Gaster could tell, he was reciting _Peekaboo With Fluffy Bunny_ from memory. Occasionally, Papyrus' voice would falter and his eye lights would go out. It wasn't hard to guess the emotions at play. Anxiety and dread. Guilt for not being there. Sorrow at seeing his brother in such grave condition. Wondering if Sans would live, even if some stranger from another dimension had vowed to facilitate. There'd be a lot of uncertainty. A lot of fear. It wasn't as if Papyrus had any other family – creepy void uncle aside. The pleasure he took in Asgore's suffering diminished greatly.

_As delightful as it is to see that old fool put in his place, it won't do to hold this off any longer. We're already behind._

With a heavy sigh, Gaster willed himself to their location. In a fraction of a second, he appeared without any warning or fanfare. He beamed at the group in spite of how he felt about certain individuals. "Greetings, everyone! I would say good morning, but that really doesn't apply here." His lone eye darted around the room until he located Asgore, Grillby and Mettaton. "Come join us, you three. Don't be shy! We'll need you to help SAVE Sans!" He tilted his head to the side, unable to resist one final jab. "Then again, I'm not sure if you would be interested, Asgore. It's not as if you _owe_ him anything. Don't worry. I won't _Judge_ you."

"..." Asgore opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He walked forward with a bowed head. Grillby and Mettaton made sure to keep their distance as they too walked up to the group.

One final, _final_ jab. He really couldn't help himself. "Oh, good. I'm glad you've decided to change your stance! The last thing I want is to further disgrace you, my king. It seems you've managed to do that all on your own."

"ENOUGH!" Undyne bellowed, arm muscles twitching with her unbridled anger. "You keep yammering on about us being able to help Sans, but you're not saying anything helpful! Stop playing shitty games and start talking, you weirdo!"

Gaster felt his grin widen. Just like her mother, that one. "Oh yes, of course." He stood straighter, poised and postured. "My apologies. I suppose I got carried away just now. It's hard to remain neutral after all that's been said and done." Chara stiffened and Frisk bit her bottom lip. Once again, he resisted the urge to delve into their bond. Instead, he cracked his neck a few times, bone scraping against bone. Then looked down at Sans and brought forth his soul. It's appearance led to a lot of confused mumbling and muttering among the others. "This is Sans' soul, currently. I've used my own power to bolster it. He is at 0.05 out of his current 0.3 max health. Which, as I'm sure we are all aware, is drastically lower than his usual value."

"How did that h-happen, if I might ask? Maximum health doesn't just change l-like that! And with how low it was already, Sans shouldn't have – he should've – he..." Alphys shuddered and looked as if she were going to lose her nerve. But to his surprise, she merely took a deep breath tried again. "Sans sh-should have d-died when he was h-hit. Even a small t-tap with ill intent would have been enough."

"Very good question, Doctor Alphys!" He couldn't help but be proud of her. In another life, another reality, he'd mentored her. Was it possible that some of their experiences lingered on somewhere? That deep down, he'd helped influence her in a way that went beyond reality? No, probably not. But it was nice to pretend. "By normal accounts, Sans would have turned to dust immediately. However, no other monster has ever had to live with a single Hit Point. I believe his body adapted over the years, allowing him to take greater damage and endure more pain to compensate." A brief memory crossed Gaster's mind, one he dared not entertain for any amount of time. Not if he wanted to keep his composure. "As for how his base health got so low, that is something that will be explained later. I _could_ tell you, but we're already behind. I will take questions after we've made some leeway." He cast his gaze upon the crowd and unsummoned Sans' soul. "So then, enough preamble. I'm sure all of you are wondering why you're here, and how you can help. First, make yourselves comfortable around the screen." He motioned to the floating rectangle that glowed with an inkling of his magic.

Murmurs of agreement spread through out the group as everyone did exactly that. Papyrus and Toriel kept their spots on opposite sides of Sans and the children moved to be closer to be with their mother. Undyne, meanwhile, took a seat next to Papyrus and Alphys sitting in her lap. Grillby ended up behind Toriel and Mettaton behind Papyrus. Asgore made the wise decision to sit farther away. Once everyone was situated and quiet, he continued. "In order restore Sans' previous condition, he needs a full, undamaged soul. That is where my bolstering has come in. Sans' soul needs to absorb my magic and make it his own, however-"

"It can't absorb your magic because it's yours! Since souls are so unique and are the culmination of an individual monster's being, they don't take foreign material well. And since Sans' condition is so bad, you can't force the absorption through healing. " Alphys interrupted without a trace of her usual stammer. Gaster paused, a warm feeling spreading through his soul. Pride. Even though others wore puzzled expressions, she seemed to be following along quite nicely.

"Precisely! Right as rain, my dear! Then again, I'd never expect less from my successor."

"Oh, um, I..." She blushed at the praise and earned herself a smooch from the violent fish lady. "Heehee... oh gee..."

Gaster coughed and got back on point. "At any rate, I needed a way to kickstart and encourage the process along. I needed something to trick his soul into believing my magic is his. After an unfathomable period of reflection and contemplation, I finally came up with the solution. Magic, emotion and intent go hand-in-hand. My magic and his are too different. In order to bridge the gap, I required emotion directed at Sans. And for that, I needed to access his memories." With a snap of his hand, an image slowly began to form within the rectangle. "That part was easy enough. However, I knew that my own emotions wouldn't be enough on my own. We need a potent and constant supply of them, again, with a heavy focus on Sans. That is why you are all here today. Each of you is a valued and treasured person to him, regardless of your feelings. Therefore, it is your emotions – along with my own – that will make a big enough impact to enact the absorption process."

"In other words, we have to view Sans' memories to keep him alive?" Grillby asked, his voice crackling like firewood.

"Yes. All of you will have to view his memories. His history. Important or cherished memories. Starting with his childhood and ending up to his near death."

"Huh. That's all we need to do?" Undyne said with a wide grin. "That sounds easy!"

"Y-yeah, we can do that!" Alphys agreed, perking up considerably.

"But isn't that rude? S-Sans doesn't like to t-talk about h-himself." Frisk asked as all the blood drained from her face. She looked from Sans to Asriel, then Gaster once more. "He won't like it! Isn't there another way?"

Chara stood up. "I agree with Frisk! He'd hate us for snooping around his business like that!" Chara's eyes briefly flashed with barely contained power. Ver fists balled up so tight the knuckles had gone white. "And how do you even know this is going to work, huh? For all we know, he'll be dead and we'll be ignoring his wishes!"

Silence.

It took everything in him not to react. Not to release overdue vitriol on those brats and their selfish motivations. Gaster felt his joints stiffen as he resisted darker urges. He could ruin them now. Bring up the Resets. Flay them with the truth behind their sinister actions across time and space. Or, he could burrow inside their minds and scar them forever. It would be so easy to take advantage. He could get revenge on all three children so very, very easily. And if he played his cards right, they'd be hated just as much – maybe more than – Asgore. He could even trap them here, so no one would remember their vile existences.

Except for Sans.

_Damn._

"I think we should trust Gaster." Papyrus said, smiling at ver and Frisk gently. "I know things look grim, but he's our best chance to save my brother. And I don't know about you, but I couldn't bear to live in a world without him."

"Yeah, but, Uncle Paps..."

He reached for ver hand. "I appreciate you concerning yourself with his privacy. He's a skeleton of many secrets, after all. I know this is a difficult situation, but Sans isn't one to hold grudges. He loves you, Chara. And you two as well, Asriel. Frisk. He's so proud of how much progress the three of you have made."

"I..I..." He took ver hand.

"Do you know what he said to me the last time he talked?" Chara shook ver head no. "He told me that adopting you children was one of the best things he's ever done. If he had to go back in time and do it over again, he would in a soulbeat."

"H-he really said that? Y-you're s-sure?" Frisk asked, on the verge of crying herself. "I-I caused him s-s-so much trouble..."

Papyrus beamed. "Of course I am! I have an impeccable memory, second only to my culinary genius - even if my peers do not understand the subtle nuances of spaghetti. I can assure you that what I said is true and accurate. He's proud to be your Comedian, Chara." Chara lifted ver head to reveal a shocked expression. "He's happy to be your Mr. Sans, Asriel." Asriel fidgeted, but a small smile spread across his face. Papyrus then looked to Frisk and reached his other hand to her. "And he's grateful to be your Dunkle Sans, Frisk. He loves you all very much. So trust me when I say that nothing, not even uncovering whatever secrets he may have, would ever make him hate you."

Papyrus' words had a profound effect on the room, Gaster noticed. The troublesome trio glommed onto him, crying and sniffling. Likely getting snot and tears all over his scarf and battle body. Toriel watched them with suspiciously misty eyes, then leaned down and kissed Sans' teeth. The words 'thank you' were just barely audible. Grillby was hard as ever to read, though his flames looked a touch brighter than usual. Mettaton pretended to wipe a stray tear off his face, only to lament that he couldn't really tear up.

"Hey, you can't have a hug pile without me! I give the best hugs ever! RAWR!" Undyne yelled, before launching herself on them as well. Unfortunately for Alphys, she was forcibly dragged into it as well. This resulted in Papyrus falling over to the side, bringing them all down with her in a crumpled heap of hugs, tears, snot and giggling.

Gaster had to subtly wipe his own eye due to a build up of fluid, and as he did so, he caught a glimpse of Asgore. Unlike the others, he exuded nothing positive. He stared at them with wide eyes, which darted from the hug pile, to Toriel, to Sans, then back to the hug pile.

"Sans did _what_?" He whispered, going ignored by the others. Unlike before, there was no satisfaction to be felt at yet another blow to the king. Gaster stared down at his hands, palms gored out so long ago. How would he have felt if -

No.

Not here, not now.

Not ever.

_I will not empathize with Asgore Dreemurr. He brought this on himself. It's his mess._

_..._

_The friends and family you've surrounded with care about you, Sans. I'm not sure if the king you served so willingly can pay the debt he owes, but the others have more than enough potential to SAVE you. Thank Delta._

"Thank you for your faith in me, Papyrus." Gaster said with a smile, once all the hugging and crying settled down.

"You are most welcome, Gaster." He said as Frisk and Asriel shifted to snuggle in close. For a skeleton, Papyrus seemed surprisingly capable of keeping two children on his lap.

"We may have gotten off on the the wrong foot, but if Papyrus believes in you, I do as well. You've done nothing but try to help us." Toriel added with a motherly smile. Chara sat next to her, but now ve was the one holding Sans' hand.

"Thank you, Toriel." He gave a short bow and looked forward. "Alright, now that we've got our emotions and doubts out of the way, let's begin. Keep your eyes on the screen, if you would be so kind."

He stood back up and nodded toward the screen. The starting image had formed some time ago. The picture was of a general area with a passing resemblance to New Home, though Gaster knew it wasn't. For one, the houses were various colors instead of stark white. For another, the ground was brown and green like actual grass and dirt, though it looked too hard and flat to be. The image zoomed in like a movie through Gaster's own will, slowly focusing on a big, dark green house. From the front, it looked the part of a picturesque home, with a beautifully decorated front porch. The image fluidly moved to show the back yard, which was big and fenced in with clay and sandstone instead of wood. There were three skeletons within this back yard. Two adults and one child. One of the adults had a feminine figure and a relatively short stature. She wore a pretty, flower-themed summer dress and a floppy hat with a pink ribbon tied around it. She lay back in a foldable chair with crossed legs, her phalanges exposed. She'd painted them the same pink as her ribbon. She had big, wide eye sockets like Sans and a similar jaw structure. There was an adoring smile on her face as she looked out at the other two.

The picture moved again, showing the other adult and child more clearly. He was almost a carbon copy of Papyrus with his long jaw, slender eye sockets and incredible height. His bones appeared a lot thicker and denser, making him look buffer in spite of lacking muscle. That larger frame was perfect for the golden armor he wore. It gleamed in the artificial light as he puffed out his chest, posing grandly. His eyes glowed with yellow and orange magic.

The third skeleton was far, far smaller than the other two. The child had a slightly larger head that didn't look proportional to his little body. Big, wide eye sockets glowed with flickering cyan magic – the child was still learning to call upon his power. His outfit was similar to Papyrus' battle body. He wore a shiny, silver breastplate and shoulder pads lined with dark blue, a long, black pants that covered his legs and a pair of dark blue boots that went up to his kneecaps. He had a matching dark blue scarf that hid part of his mouth.

In the top left corner of the screen there were bold, black letters – in comic sans font, of course – that read:

_**Skeleton District: Serif Family Household** _

_**Caladea Dingbat-Serif: Age: 200 years ** _

_**T.N. Roman Serif: Age: 250 years** _

_**Sans Serif: Age: 6 years** _

_**Papyrus Serif: Soulling, 4 months before birth** _

_**Reason for Importance: Dad was proud of me. ** _

"OHMYGODNOWAYISTHATSANSOHWOWIELOOKATHIM!" Papyrus cried out, speaking so fast that it was hard to understand him. His bones rattled, eye sockets wide. An flush of orange tinting his cheekbones. "HE'SGOTABATTLEBODY!ICAN'TBELIEVEHEHASONE!THAT'SSOCOOL!HEISSOCUUUUUUUTE!HE'SEVENGOTASCARF!"

Undyne laughed and clapped him on the back. "Paps! Breathe!"

"BUTHE'SSOCUTEANDCOOLANDOHMYDOG!" He started flailing wildly, though was careful not to hit anyone in his excitement "ANDTHERE'SMYPARENTSSANSSHOWEDMEAPICTUREANDOHMYGODICAN'TBELIEVEITDADLOOKSEVENCOOLERTHANMEANDHE'SGOTROYALARMORANDOHMY-!"

Grillby chuckled. "I never thought I'd see Sans dressed like that. He never seemed the type."

"I think he looks absolutely fabulous!" Mettaton said with a scheming smile on his face. "I wonder if I can make him a suit – could you imagine how _darling_ Sans and Papyrus would look together? They could match!"

"Ooooh, that would be so precious!" Alphys agreed excitedly. "It would be like something out of an anime!"

"Oh! Can I get some armor, too?" Asriel asked giddily.

"Of course, little prince!" Mettaton said, his grin widening. "In fact, we could make it a family effort! Frisk! Chara! Toriel! Imagine the possibilities!"

"Hey, yeah! That would be pretty neat!" Chara agreed with a grin.

"Um... I don't know..." Frisk looked a little unsure.

Toriel shook her head and smiled shyly. "Oh goodness no! I'm not a fan of battle armor myself. Though it would make a lovely family portrait..."

Asgore made a non-committal grunt, likely mired in his own sorrows. There was, however, a moment when his expression did soften while looking at Roman. Gaster had the impression that he was missing the man. In this, Gaster felt the same. His own soul ached at the sight of his onetime best friend.

_I'm sorry, Roman..._

The memory started playing.

* * *

* * *

_"Are you ready for your training, my amazing, glorious son?" Roman asked with his signature good-guy grin. He posed in dramatic fashion, eyes glowing yellow. "I, your glorious, wonderful father, promise that you will learn how to summon your magic, or at least have a good understanding of how to do so! Yah-ha-ha!"_

_Sans looked over at his daddy with stars in his eyes, captivated by how heroic and cool he looked standing there. His small body vibrated with nervous, excited energy as he tried to focus on his magic. It surged and swirled within him like a whirlpool, the current almost too powerful to control – as always was the case. No matter how hard he strained, it just wouldn't come. But today? Sans had a feeling that today would be the day! Daddy promised, after all. And daddy never broke his promises._

_That's why he's the coolest!_

_"Yes sir! I-I, the M-M-Magnificent S-Sans, am ready! I-I promise I-I won't let you down! Mweh-heh-heh!" He tried to pose as epically as his dad, though the act felt awkward when he did it. A flush of warm cyan rushed to his cheeks. Now that he'd promised, he had to commit, too. Today would be the day! No being lazy!_

_Roman guffawed. "Attaboy! If you want to be in the Royal Court like your old man, you've got to get a head start while you're young! So keep your promise, because today, I teach you the art of combat!"_

_Sans felt his insides go cold as the world flickered into darkness. The back yard was gone, though looking around, he could still see his parents. His mother was still sitting in her chair, beaming at him. Standing across from him was his daddy, his eyes and body glowing with a brilliant, golden light. "Aaaaaah! Wh-what's going on? D-daddy?"_

_"This, my darling boy, is a Fight! Whenever one is initiated, this is what happens!"_

_"R-really? Why?"_

_"Well, that's obvious! Why it's... it's..." He paused for a moment. "It's..." Roman laughed and scratched the back of his neck. "Why indeed, huh? Well, I certainly know the answer, but I don't know how to make it easy for you to understand!" He looked over to Sans' mother. "Caladea, my elegant, radiant, gleaming beauty, would you be willing to do the honors?"_

_She chuckled, clearly amused. "Of course, dear." She turned her attention to Sans. "It is quite simple, really. Magic is what we are. It is part of what makes up our bones, our souls, our very beings. Because individual magic is so unique and tuned into who we are and senses senses the intent of others around. If one simply wishes to Fight, it affects all whom the intent is directed at." She paused to take a sip of water from her glass. "Do you understand?"_

_Sans puzzled over it for a few moments, the connection to his magic wavering. "Um... I think? So it's b-because daddy wants to Fight me?"_

_"Essentially, yes." Caladea said with a radiant smile. "We'll go over the mechanics of Fighting on Monday if you like."_

_"Yes mommy! That would be great!"_

_"Good! Now, go kick daddy's butt."_

_Roman pouted. "But my moon-eyed darling, you're supposed to root for meeeeee!"_

_She snickered at him. "Love you, honey!"_

_"Love you too! And despite your treachery, I'll shower you with kisses later tonight!" He grinned and wiggled his brow in an odd way, which made Caladea giggle. Then, he turned to Sans. "Alright, now for the next part. Sans, I'm going to Check you, like mom did when you were sick. Do you remember how she did it?"_

_"Um, I think so?"_

_"Good! Because you're going to Check me next, Yah-ha-ha~!" Roman stared at him intently, then the darkness stuttered for a second. "Hmmm... 3 Attack, 3 Defense and 15 HP. Most excellent! your stats have gone up since last week!" A flush of yellow spread across his face. "Awww! Daddy thinks you're great too, my equally cool moon-eyed child!"_

_Sans blushed deeply, warmth and a touch of embarrassment at what his Check had revealed. "Heh. Heh. Heh."_

_Roman puffed out his chest, his grin impossibly bright and sparkling. He could seriously blind someone with it. "Alright, son! Give it a try! Remember what your mother taught you!"_

_"You can do it, Sans!" Caladea cheered from the sidelines._

_Warmth pulsed within Sans' soul, wrapping him up in good, fuzzy feelings. Like his electric blanket, but on the inside. Swallowing thickly, he took a deep breath and tried to focus on his dad. 'Keep calm. Focus. It's only a Check. Mommy said Checking isn't hostile. Checking is okay...' He continued to focus. No ill intent, only curiosity. It took several minutes of hyping himself up before what Sans believed to be 'stats' appeared in a small box in front of Roman. The box was outlined with bones._

_**ATK 65** _

_**DEF 20 (+10)** _

_**HP 1700** _

_***He believes in you** _

_'He believes in me! He really believes in me!'_

_"Do you see my stats, Sans?"_

_"Yes, daddy!"_

_"Good! That means we're onto the next phase. Cancel out your Check and face me!"_

_Emboldened by his daddy's faith in him, Sans stood himself up tall – well, as high as three feet and two inches could be considered tall. He puffed out his chest and copied his dad's offensive stance._

_"Hm... not bad. Needs a little polish, but we'll work on that Tuesday!" One eye glowed yellow, the other orange. "Now Sans... don't think of me as your father. Right now, I'm a big bad human who's threatening the king. You're the only line of defense between him and I. And also, I have a soul. A soul to break the barrier." There's no drama, no theatrical flare. The smile slides off his face. He's completely serious. But Sans wasn't afraid._

_..._

_He wasn't._

_It's all part of his training._

_'He believes in me! He believes in me!' Sans reminded himself._

_Roman took a step forward. "Good." A thick, club-like bone manifested in his left hand. "We start now!"_

_The Fight was on._

_Roman lunged at him with impressive speed, letting out a mighty "Yah-ha-ha!" as he swung the club in his direction. Sans jumped back and moved to the left, remembering their tactics lesson a few days ago._

_"Mweh-heh-heh!" Sans cried out, as he moved backwards to give them some space. "You won't w-win against me, human!"_

_"THAT'S THE SPIRIT, SON!" Roman swung the club at him again, having flawlessly maneuvered to the left with a twirl. "TRY TO DODGE THIS!"_

_Sans' eye widened as Roman summoned a second bone club. Only this one glowed orange. Sans knew from experience that he couldn't afford to get hit with it. He panicked for a moment before veering toward the right, and that panic cost him dearly. Pain blossomed along Sans' shoulder as the orange bone grazed it. He cried out in pain, feeling the sting of HP ticking away._

_**HP 13** _

_Well, crap. He couldn't take too many of those._

_'I... have to keep dodging...'_

_And so, the battle ensued. While Roman moved with years of experience and the fluidity of someone who understood enemy movements, Sans had a hard time keeping up. He always seemed to just barely avoid another blow, which he'd attributed to dumb luck. His daddy was too fast and seemed capable of summoning numerous projectile bones as well, so surely he should've been hit. Perhaps he'd been going easy on him? Probably. Definitely. Otherwise, it shouldn't have been possible. Once again, Sans dodged attacks by the skin of his teeth – heh skin – but only just. He thought that he was doing pretty well for a while, until he suddenly found himself pinned to a wall by pointed, sharp bones that had dug into his scarf and pants._

_"What are you going to do now, Sans? You can't dodge anymore! You've got no choice to Fight back!"_

_"I-I..."_

_Roman rushed toward him, ready for the final blow. In that moment, Sans forgot that it was his daddy facing him, and that this wasn't a life or death situation. Panic surged in him like a typhoon, the waters of his magic storming._

_"You're going to lose, Sans! Do you want that?"_

_"N-no!"_

_'I don't want to lose! I want to win! I want...'_

_***He believes in you** _

_"I WANT YOU TO BE PROUD OF ME!"_

_**Creeeeeeeee!** _

_And suddenly, he felt it. Magic rushed forward, enveloping him in brilliant, cyan blue light. It was so bright that it all but blinded him. He couldn't hear anything over the rushing and whirring. It was as if those difficult, choppy waters had finally, finally stilled and answered his call. His magiveins felt cool and hot at the same time, which made his spine tingle. Magic danced at his fingertips, sparking and crackling. Ready to be commanded. The burst of light faded in seconds, but the control lingered. And with the light gone, Sans was able to piece together what happened._

_Roman was on his back, on the ground, a tiny burn mark scorched into his breastplate, just above where his soul would be. A white skull, no bigger than an apple, floated between them. It's eyes and maw glowing with the same color as Sans' magic. It was animalistic in appearance, and made cute grumbling sounds. Sans stared on in shock, unable to believe what he'd actually done. Had he really? Did he...?_

_Roman picked himself up off the ground as the world stuttered back to normal. All signs of their battle faded instantly, the small skull included. Sans stood back against the house, panting heavily. He suddenly felt tired._

_So._

_Very._

_Tired._

_All that power, all that control, had vanished in the blink of an eye. The skull vanished from wherever it came as his body started to hit the ground. He flinched, bracing himself for impact... only it never came. He felt himself being lifted in big, strong arms._

_His daddy's._

_"D-daddy..."_

_"You were incredible, my son." He said in an uncharacteristically soft voice. "Rest now. We'll talk later." He felt bone lightly clink against his forehead. A kiss. "I'm so proud of you. You were truly magnificent."_

_"Mnn..."_

_Well, Sans wasn't one to turn down a free nap._

_\- - - - - -_

_Hours and hours later, Sans woke up somewhere soft and warm. He groaned and tried to sit up, only to realize that an arm was wrapped around him. Well, multiple arms. Once his eyes adjusted to the dim light, Sans realized he was in his parents' bedroom, laying in their bed. His mommy and daddy were on either side of him, the three of them snuggled together under the soft, orange comforter. He shifted just a little, so that he was facing Roman. This slight movement woke the older skeleton, who smiled at him with a tired expression._

_"Hey there, Sans. How are you feeling, champ?" He whispered._

_"I, um, feel good. Tired, but good."_

_"Yeah, I bet you would be tired. You overworked yourself a bit there."_

_Sans gulped. "Is that bad? D-did I do it wrong?"_

_Roman pulled him in close. "No, son. Not at all. You were amazing." He sighed, his exhaustion apparent. "If anything, I'm the one that did something wrong. I shouldn't have pushed you so hard, Sans. You were only just learning how to summon your magic. Pushing you into a Fight wasn't very nice of me."_

_"Th-then w-why?"_

_"Because that's what my old man did. He fought in the war, your grandpa Calibri. He was strong and cool, but he was also very strict. Every day, he forced me to Fight him. I didn't' like it, but he'd always said it was for my own good. That one day, I'd be able to face a human without fearing death. But it wasn't fun... and I grew up hating him. Ya, ha, hoo."_

_Sans suddenly felt so sad for his daddy. "I-I'm sorry. Grandpa shouldn't have been so mean to you."_

_Roman nodded. "And I shouldn't have pushed you so hard."_

_"But-"_

_"No buts, my glorious child. Today, you said you wanted me to be proud of you. Did you think I wasn't before?"_

_"W-well, um... I just... I wasn't learning fast enough and you're so strong and cool. I... I want to be just like you."_

_"Oh Sans... you don't have to be like me. You're better than that – you're my son. I'm already proud of you. You're a very bright boy. You're already a year ahead your peers, after all. And even if you weren't, I'd still be grateful that you're mine. I love you. I love you so much it hurts. And to think you believed you had to earn my respect? It... it made me realize that I've been acting just like grandpa." His voice wavered. Looking up, Sans could see that his daddy was on the verge of crying. Yellow tears welling up in his eye sockets. "I'm sorry, Sans. Could you... could you ever forgive me?"_

_Sans couldn't stop himself from crying, even if he wanted to. The tears had a mind of their own. "Th-there's... I... there's nothing to f-forgive, daddy. I love you too."_

_"Yah-ha-ha..."_

_Sans couldn't remember when he fell back asleep. Only the feeling of an incredible burden being lifted off his shoulders. One he hadn't realized was there._

_"Mweh-heh-heh..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this was a lot of fun to write, then again, every chapter is. I had some difficulty deciding how much and how little to write for specific characters. Once again, I thank everyone for reading, and advise you all to check out my tumblr for updates: 
> 
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/abble-chan-blog
> 
> You can also ask me questions. I won't spoil any plot, but let me know if something's up. I'm going to be doing a round of edits to the first three chapters. Nothing major, but I know they're a bit clunky in some areas. 
> 
> And no, Sans is not Blueberry. I love Underswap, but this is not an Underswap fic. 
> 
> Have a lovely day/night/whatever. :)


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